adminPlaxcedes Hove Court Reporter
A POLICE officer stationed at Luveve Police Station in Bulawayo allegedly stole $2,743 from the canteeen and disappeared only to be arrested a month later. James Mutizwa, 22, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Maphios Moyo charged with theft.
Prosecutor Mufaro Mageza said Mutizwa stole the money at ZRP Luveve canteen and converted it to his own use before going into hiding for a month.
The crime was committed between October last year and May this year.
Mageza said the matter came to light when an audit was done at Nkulumane Police Station by finance section officers and revealed that Mutizwa misappropriated ZRP canteen funds on different occasions.
He said Mutizwa then absconded from work for a month from April 26 to May 30 and got arrested when he resurfaced.
Mutizwa pleaded not guilty to theft but told the magistrate he only knew about $900 of the missing funds.
“Your worship, I didn’t convert the money to my own use. I lost $500 and I was afraid to tell them at work knowing they would fire me. Bosses at work also took beer on credit and the money amounted to $400. I don’t know how the remaining balance disappeared,” he said.
Trial continues today.
Online Reporter