adminEmily Mbewe Court reporter
A 19-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man has appeared before two separate courts facing a total of 33 counts of unlawful entry and theft of property worth more than $40,000. Eugene Ncube, who also uses the alias Bheki Elton Ndebele, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Charity Maphosa facing eight counts of theft and unlawful entry.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody to today as the State waits for four witnesses to testify.
Last week Ncube and two unnamed friends were brought before Magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze facing 25 counts of the same charge.
The property that Ncube and his friends allegedly stole includes television sets, refrigerators, generators and mobile phones.
Ncube denied stealing the property saying he only offered his friends transport to carry the goods.
He told the court his friends claimed the goods were from Botswana.
“Your worship l didn’t steal the mentioned property. I only offered services as the transporter. l would sometimes look for buyers around town. It never crossed my mind that the goods might have been stolen,” said Ncube.
Prosecuting, Dennmore Kasenza told the court that on October 5, 2014 Ncube broke into Eunice Nkomo’s house where he stole an LG 32 inch plasma television set before proceeding to Parklands suburb where he stole another Samsung LED 50 inch television set.
On the same day at around 10PM Ncube broke into William Zingani’s house where he stole property which included a Samsung galaxy 3 mobile phone.
Kasenza told the court that on December 18, Ncube stole property worth $900 from Trust Muiketiwa of Mahatshula suburb.
“On November 24, the same year Ncube, who was on a thieving spree, headed to Mahatshula South suburb where he stole a Sharp 21 inch television set, gas stove and cylinder from Butholezwe Nkomo’s house,” said Kasenza
Online Reporter