Vusumuzi Dube
Rutendo Nyeve/Clementine Phulu, Sunday News Reporters
BUSINESS came to a standstill in the Central Business District of Bulawayo yesterday as the public gathered to witness an early morning drama after a suspected thief was busted inside the ceiling of an accessories shop located along 10th Avenue.
When a Sunday News crew arrived at the scene shortly before 8 30am, the suspect had just been busted by the shop occupants and were awaiting the police. The suspect was frequently peeping and coughing through a hole which he is suspected to have mistakenly created while walking inside the ceiling.
Shortly after 9am, detectives from CID as well as the duty uniformed branch arrived at the scene and persuaded the suspect to come out of the ceiling.
The suspect remained quiet and chose to be a prisoner of his own scheme prompting the detectives to call the Canine Unit. As the canine unit prepared to get into the ceiling the suspect came out through an entry and exit point on the roof. Clad in a grey short and t-shirt as well as a cap, he was immediately arrested in front of a crowd which was baying for his blood.
Sources close to the investigations said the suspect identified himself as Khumbulani aged 18 from Nkulumane 11. According to a witness who spoke on condition of anonymity, they witnessed that the ceiling had been broken down before realising that there was someone inside the ceiling.
“When we opened the shop, we realised that the ceiling was damaged. We checked on our various accessories which we sell and observed that nothing was stolen. After a few minutes, one of our female colleagues noticed that there was someone peeping through the ceiling. We immediately reported the issue to the police,” said the witness. — @nyeve14
derick.khumalo