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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
A CHINHOYI-based freelance journalist who broke into the Harare Magistrates’ Court and other buildings in the city, before stealing computers and other electronic gadgets, has been convicted of unlawful entry and theft.
Romeo Kurai Pemba (29) will be sentenced today.
Prosecutor Mr Peter Kachilika is still verifying Pemba’s previous convictions.
Pemba was facing six counts of unlawful entry in aggravated circumstances. Mr Kachilika proved that on March 7 last year at around 5pm, the director of Oasis Computers, Mr Howard Muchoko, secured his shop and left. Pemba went to the shop at midnight and smashed a display windowpane.
He stole several smartphones, tablets, digital cameras and laptops worth $6 260.
On May 13 around 1am Pemba smashed the window of a shop owned by Jockstar Investments (Pvt) Ltd, where he stole a desktop computer, a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 cellphone and a CCTV monitor worth $4 300.
Pemba inserted his Econet line 0772 318 688 in the stolen cellphone and later sold it. On August 13 at around 11pm, Pemba entered the Harare Magistrates’ Courts through unlocked Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services gates.
He scaled water pipes up to the fifth floor where he removed three louvres on the eastern fanlight door to a reception office. He stole a desktop computer and printer valued at $1 500.
The stolen property was sold to James Mwandura where it was later recovered.
Six days later, Pemba broke into the Harare City Library at corner Rotten Row and Pennefather Avenue.
He stole three Samsung monitors and two CPUs worth $600 and sold them to Mwandura. On August 24, Pemba broke a window to National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe director’s office.
He stole a monitor, CPU and Acer projector worth $1 200, which he again sold to Mwandura.
On September 7, Pemba broke the window into the Steward Bank chief executive’s office. He stole an Apple Thunderbolt computer and a Galaxy S4 cellphone valued at $2 019.
Online Reporter