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Sindisiwe Sibanda, Sunday News Reporter
THREE Bulawayo men last week appeared in court facing charges of allegedly breaking into a company and stealing copper pipes valued at US$80 000.
Fastino Magaya (36), Philani Sibanda (38) both residing in Pumula South suburb and Cosmos Ndlovu (44) of Nkulumane 5 appeared before Bulawayo provincial magistrate Mr Shepherd Munjanja, who remanded them out of custody to 11 November.
Presenting the State’s case, Mr Leonard Chile said on 26 August this year, Mr Kudzai Mumvuri, a Primeton Enterprises director, received a phone call from the caretaker at his company, Mr Simbarashe Njenje advising him that there was a break-in at the premises.
The court was told that the three accused persons on the day in question went to the company premises and broke in and stole the copper pipes, before vandalising part of the company property.
Mr Mumvuri then reported the break-in and theft at Western Commonage Police Station and police officers attended the scene.
It was the State’s case that police officers from Pumula received information linking the three suspects to the theft, leading to the arrest of Magaya and the recovery of an electric motor and square copper pipe weighing 14,5kg from him.
The copper pipe that was recovered from Magaya matched those stolen from the company.
Magaya was then taken to the Criminal Investigations Department Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit, where he implicated Sibanda and Ndlovu before indicating that they had sold some of the copper pipes to Ndlovu.
The State told the court that the stolen copper pipes were worth US$80 000 and only pipes worth US$1 660 were recovered.
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Bongani Ndlovu