12 months for stealing maize

A FARM driver and a security guard who connived to steal maize from their employer appeared in court.

Gift Mashava, 24, of U8 Shackleton and employed by Flymore Company, as driver and Meeting Mvula,38, a farm security guard at Zawi farm, appeared before Chinhoyi provincial magistrate Tapiwa Banda charged with Theft. They both pleaded guilty to the charge.

The complainant in this case is Authur Denham Bossman of Plot 1 Zawi Estate,lions Den, Chinhoyi and is a farmer. Mashava and Mvula were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, however, six months were suspended for five years, while another six months was suspended on condition of 240 hours of community service at Shackleton primary school.

Prosecuting, Review Nikisi told the court that on June 19 2021,and at Zawi farm, Mashava was contracted by Bossman to harvest his field using a combined harvester. On the same day, at around 6pm, Mashava connived with Mvula to offload the shelled maize at a nearby bush in order for them to take the maize during the night and sell it to private buyers.

However, Bossman became suspicious and visited Mashava, where he was harvesting the maize and only found the combine harvester unattended.

Mashava had gone out in search of some sacks to put their maize. Bossman then discovered the combine harvester tracks going out of the field to a nearby bush and he followed them, resulting in him discovering some shelled maize covered by the grass in the bush.

He notified Proend Security guards in Chinhoyi and they attended to the scene.

They laid an ambush.

While going back to the field, Mashava and Mvula heard footsteps of the security guards and they ran away, resulting in Mashava leaving his Nike pushes at the scene. They were taken by the security guards and were positively identified as those of Mashava by Bossman.