adminLynnia Ndlovu: Sunday News Reporter
A MAN from Cowdray Park in Bulawayo has been arrested for stealing a drum of aluminum wire worth $4 000, which he smelt and sold in Harare.
Praisegod Phuti (23), who is also a supervisor at Genesis Trading Private Limited Company appeared before Gwanda magistrate Mr Araffat Kozanai together with his accomplices, Edmore Mutumbani (38) and Shakemore Sengayi (35).
The trio, through their defence counsel, Mr Thompson J Mabhikwa of the T.J Mabhikwa and Partners denied the charges. Phuti said he has always known Mutumbani as a buyer of scrap metal in which on 15 May he had called him to Gwanda to view some scrap metal that he had collected.
“I was then cleverly called to Bulawayo by my employer, Moses Mungova (52) who is also the complainant in this matter where I was taken to Hillside Police Station where I was assaulted for allegedly being connected to the theft of aluminum in a deal with Mutumbani. I was later taken to Gwanda where I was given a phone number to invite Mutumbani for business after the police officers had instructed the town depot Zesa manager to bring them scrap metal to trap Mutumbani. He came as per my invitation in the company of Sengayi and they were both ambushed and arrested,” he said.
However, through his statement, the investigating officer on the matter, Mandlenkosi Dube said he knew the three men in connection with the theft of the said wire and he had evidence that either one of them or all stole it.
They were remanded in custody to 8 July for the continuation of trial. Allegations against the trio are that on 13 May at River Block Primary School in Collen Bawn, the three men connived to steal aluminum conductor wire measuring 3 000 metres where it was kept in the custody of Genesis Trading in a contract with Zesa.
The following day at around 7pm Mutumbani and Sengayi went to the school and introduced themselves to the caretaker, Samukeliso Mathuthu as Zesa workers who had come to collect the wire and they loaded it in their truck.
Mr Mungova received a tip-off and reported the matter at Hillside Police Station leading to Phuti’s arrest.
On 25 May at 4pm Mutumbani and Sengayi were also arrested at Collen Bawn. Nothing was recovered as it was heard that they had already smelted and sold it in Harare.
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