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Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent
TWO police officers have appeared in court after they lost an FN rifle which they were using during their patrol duties.
Donald Chenjerai Bumhira (40) and Edwin Tinashe Chiora were facing charges of contravening the Firearms Act when they appeared before a Harare magistrate.
They were granted US$100 bail each.
The court heard that on October 6, Bumhira and Chiora were deployed at Plot 25 Glen Forest, Chief Chinamora, Domboshava and were given an FN rifle serial number 1515 with a fully-charged magazine of 20 live rounds and an AK47 serial number 9943 with a fully charged magazine of 30 live rounds.
It is alleged that on a date unknown to the prosecutor but between the period extending from October 6 to 19, the pair lost an FN rifle fully charged with a magazine of 20 live rounds.
The court heard that on October 19, while the pair prepared for a handover shift to the incoming one, they realised that the FN rifle serial number 1515 was missing. They advised their commander and a report was made at ZRP Mverechena base, leading to their arrest.
The case was referred to CID Homicide Harare for further management.
On October 21, the stolen rifle was recovered at Plot number 58 Glen Forest, Chief Chinamora after an unknown accused person attempted to steal broilers at that plot.
He was cornered by members of the neighbourhood and he bolted out of the fowl run and in the process, dropped the stolen rifle with a magazine of 19 rounds.
The recovered FN rifle matched the missing one and one live round was missing.
The recovered rifle was taken to CID Ballistics for examination. The stolen property is worth US$1000 and value of the recovered property is US$995.
leeroy
Online Reporter