Prisoners report warders for theft

alleged said to have stolen 11 bags of sugar beans and five bags of Compound D fertiliser.
Thomas Mujinga (32) and Coster Gwasira (30) were yesterday arraigned before Marondera magistrate Mr Victor Mahamadi facing theft charges.
They pleaded not guilty and were being represented by Mr Batanai Pesanai of IEG Musimbe and Partners.
Prosecutor Ms Junior Mugebe alleges that Mujinga and Gwasira were on night duty at Ridigita Prison Farm on December 17, 2011 supervising A Class prisoners who were carrying out irrigation at the farm during the night shift.
Ms Mugebe told the court that at around 2am, Mujinga and Gwasira used a duplicate key to open the farm storeroom.
They allegedly used the prisoners on duty to ferry 11 bags of sugar beans and five bags of Compound D fertiliser to Mujinga’s house at the farm.
After the alleged theft, the duo locked the storeroom.
However, the next morning some of the prisoners blew the whistle on the prison officers leading to their arrest.
The officer in charge of Ridigita Prison Farm Chief Superintendent Costa Pasira testified that Mujinga and Gwasira were working under his command.
Chief Supt Pasira said that after receiving the prisoners’ report, he sent officers to investigate and they found a trail of sugar beans from the storeroom to Mujinga’s house.
The officers also reported seeing the stolen bags through the window of Mujinga’s house.
Chief Supt Pasira ordered a stock take of inputs and other material in the storeroom, leading to discovery of the stolen goods.
He said Mujinga was on the 4.30pm to midnight shift, while Gwasira took over from him until 7.30am.
Chief Supt Pasira reported the theft to Marondera Rural Police and by the time the officers came to investigate, the stolen goods had already been removed from Mujinga’s house.
Mr Mahamadi remanded Mujinga and Gwasira out of custody on US$50 bail each to March 28 when the State is expected to call the prisoners and stores persons to testify.