Ex-Mashava cop, partner in dock

Masvingo (Masvingo Star-New Ziana) – Former police officer-in-charge for Mashava and another man have appeared before a Chivi magistrate charged with breaking into a local hardware shop and allegedly stealing goods worth US$ 4 500.

But Zephy Chando, the former Mashava police officer and his colleague, Jeremiah Matenhese pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful entry and theft when they appeared before Chivi Magistrate Perseverance Mukumba.

For the State, prosecutor Nathan Zaranyika alleged that Chando and matenhese broke into a hardware shop belonging to Japson Shumba on August 15 this year and and removed goods worth US$4 500.

They allegedly gained entry into the shop by cutting the key to the store in board daylight in the absence of the shop attendant identified as Grace Musariri.

The two were noticed by Simbarashe Musical, a barber whose shop is next to the hardware store around 1pm and he notified Shumba.

When confronted inside the shop by Simbarashe Mhosva who had been sent by Shumba to inquire what they were doing inside the hardware store, they allegedly told him that they were debt collectors and had come to collect the goods because Shumba had failed to pay his rentals for the whole year.

On hearing this, the complainant called his landlord identified as Chakanyuka Mutema who told him that he knew nothing about Chando and Matenhese’s mission as he had not sent anyone to his shop.

Chando and Matenhese, who are represented by J Mahweni in their defence, told the court that Chando was a brother to Chakanyuka Mutema who had sent him to stop Shumba from continuing to operate from his premises and take some of his goods to cover up for the rentals that he had failed to pay for the whole year from July last year, while Matenhese was the caretaker who looked after Mutema’s premises.

The trial was remanded to October 8 for continuation.
Masvingo Star-New Ziana