Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve,Online Reporter
A Police officer stationed at Gweru Police Protection Unit (PPU) has been arrested and charged with theft of two cell phones including one belonging to his friend.
Thulani Sibanda (24) appeared before Victoria Falls resident Magistrate Mr Gift Manyika on Friday and pleaded guilty to two counts of theft.
He was remanded in custody and will be back in court on Monday for sentencing.
Representing the state, Mrs Portia Moyo told the court that on the first count, Sibanda of Chinotimba in Victoria Falls unlawfully took a Itel A70 mobile cell phone belonging to his friend.
“Sibanda is a male adult residing at 11 New Township Zvishavane and is also employed as a police officer at Gweru PPU. Sibanda and the complainant are friends. On 12 May 2025 and at around 7.10pm, Sibanda visited the complainant at his lodgings and was offered a chair and both the complainant and Sibanda sat outside the house but inside the yard.
“They were listening to music that was being played from the complainant’s itel cell phone. The complainant was then called into the house by his wife leaving Sibanda alone outside the house with the cell phone,” said Mrs Moyo.
She said when the friend returned, he found Sibanda had left with the cell phone.
Mrs Moyo said the friend then phoned his number and Sibanda answered and he promised to return the phone the following day.
“The complainant tried to locate Sibanda to no avail and by that time he had removed the complainant’s sim card and was no longer reachable. A report was made to the police leading to the recovery of the phone from one Mr Nyasha Samsun who then alleged that he had bought the stolen cell phone from Sibanda.
The value of the stolen cell phone is USD$ 270-00 and all was recovered
On the second count, Mrs Moyo told the court that two days later, on 14 May at Moringa Shopping Centre, Victoria Falls, Sibanda unlawfully took a Samsung galaxy mobile cell phone belonging to a shopkeeper.
“The complainant in this case is employed as a shopkeeper at Moringa shopping Centre and is not related to Sibanda. On 14 May at around 6.45pm at Moringa Shopping Centre Sibanda approached the shop were the complainant worked as a shopkeeper.
“Sibanda purported to be a customer waiting for his turn to be served and as the complainant was busy attending to other customers, Sibanda managed to grab the complainant’s cell phone and went away unnoticed. The complainant tried to locate the cell phone but to no avail,” said Mrs Moyo.
She said 15 May Sibanda was arrested on another case of theft and upon being searched it was realised that he was in possession of a cell phone belonging to the shopkeeper.
The value of the stolen cell phone is US$ 200-00.
