Pardoned trio back in jail

Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
BARELY a day after release from Khami Maximum Prison on Presidential amnesty, three unrepentant Bulawayo men were at it again! They broke into a house in Nketa 7 suburb and stole a plasma television set and three cellphones all valued at $865.Mandi Mabhena, 31, Elvis Kalima Banda, 33, and Nomthandazo Mzingaye Moyo, 25, all from Emganwini suburb, teamed up and descended on Rowland Khumalo’s house in neighbouring Nketa 7 suburb on Wednesday morning.

Prosecutor Tatenda Dakwa said the trio raided Khumalo’s house between 2AM and 2.30AM, armed with iron bars. Western Commonage provincial resident magistrate Willard Maphios Moyo heard that on arrival, they destroyed a padlock on the door, forcing it open before they stormed into a spare bedroom where Khumalo’s daughter was sleeping.

Dakwa said Khumalo’s daughter woke up from deep slumber and found the three intruders in her room.
“They threatened to rape her when she tried to scream before they took her Nokia cellphone which was placed under a pillow. The three men then proceeded to the main bedroom and found Khumalo snoring in his bed,” he said.

Mzingaye, Mabhena and Banda stole an LG plasma television and two Samsung cellphones, a pair of sports shoes and $3, said the prosecutor.  They then took to their heels but Khumalo, who was awakened by their movements, had identified them.

Khumalo quickly dashed to Tshabalala Police Station and reported the matter leading to the trio’s arrest.  Some of the stolen items, which included the television set and a cellphone, were recovered.

Two other cellphones, money and sports shoes are still missing, the court heard. Moyo remanded the trio in custody to February 25 for trial. They are denying the charges of unlawful entry and theft.

The trio was serving jail sentences for unlawful entry and theft before they were released on Wednesday.