Aspiring councillor in $6 000 theft storm
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A POPULAR ZANU-PF cadre who recently won the revolutionary party’s primary elections to represent it in Mutare’s Ward 9 council elections was on Tuesday hauled before the courts together with three accomplices on allegations of stealing $6 100 from the ruling party’s Manicaland youth chairman.
Albie Marima (39) who won the ticket to contest in the council elections, together with Gilbert Buzuzi (35), Lucia Kunyangira (33) and Nyasha Blessing Mutenje (28) appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Lazarus Murendo facing theft from a motor vehicle charges.
They were charged for contravening Section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
The quartet denied the allegations and were granted $300 bail each.
ZANU-PF Manicaland youth chairman Tawanda Mukodza alleged that the suspects stole from his car during the commissioning of the Mutare High Court on Monday
Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.
Allegations were that on Monday, Mukodza parked his Landrover Discovery motor vehicle with registration numbers AEO 8648 at the Mutare Main Post Office.
This was after he had put cash amounting to $6 100 in the back pocket of the driver’s seat. The money was tied with a rubber band. While Mukodza was in the car Buzuzi and Kanyangira joined him. Buzuzi sat at the front passenger seat while Kanyangira sat at the rear passenger seat. After a while, Marima and Mutenje also got into the car. Marima sat at the rear passenger seat behind Mukodza while Mutenje sat in-between the other two back seat passengers.
While conversing Marima who was seated behind Mukodza opened the door and left for an
unknown destination.
The State further alleged that while seated in the car, the four accused people took the $6 100 which was in the car without the complainant’s consent.
“After some time, Mukodza decided to check his money since he needed to use it to buy food for Mutenje, Buzuzi and Kanyangira but he did not find it. He asked the suspects for his money but they all denied ever taking it,” said Mr Karombe.
Mukodza then proceeded to make a police report which led to the arrest of the suspects.
Mutenje, Buzuzi, Kanyangira and Marima were granted $300 bail each.
As part of the bail conditions they were also ordered to keep residing at their given addresses and not to interfere with State witnesses.