By Miriam Mangwaya
THE trial of five government employees in the Chikomba district development co-ordinator (DDC)’s office, who allegedly stole donations for victims of a hailstorm which swept across Chivhu in November last year, commenced yesterday at the Chivhu Magistrates’ Court.
Wadzanai Chikudza, Getrude Murwa, Gladys Masaire, Farai Mabhunu who were represented by lawyer Tafara Nsingo of Nsingo and Associates, and Bothwell Kativhu, pleaded not guilty when they appeared before magistrate Batanai Madzingira.
The court heard that on November 28 2019, the five connived to steal second-hand clothes and tents worth $7 600 from a consignment which had been delivered at the DDC’s office from the Department of Civil Protection.
It is alleged that Chikudza, Murwa, Masaire and Mabhunu entered the office where the consignment was kept and opened the bales of clothes and shoes and selected items of their choice.
They also allegedly took 15 tarpaulin tents and loaded them into Kativhu’s Honda Fit vehicle, and refused to stop at the gate when a security guard demanded to search the car.
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The following day, Murwa filed a police report for a break-in at her office where the donations were kept.Police investigations, however, implicated the five. Police allegedly recovered some of the stolen clothes worth $181 from Murwa and Masaire’s residences.The matter was postponed to October 14 2020 for continuation of trial. Mike Choto prosecuted.