A MEMBER of the Zimbabwe Republic Police stationed at Fairbridge Camp who allegedly teamed up with an accomplice to break into a police canteen and several houses at the camp have been remanded pending further investigations.
A court heard the pair went on a stealing spree from four houses where they stole goods worth more than $1000.
Michael Mhlanga (43) an Assistant Inspector in Bulawayo and Ntando Dube (38) of Ntabazinduna on different occasions allegedly broke into the ZRP canteen and stole car batteries, laptops and groceries worth more than $1 400.
State allegations are that investigations carried out led to the arrest of Dube who then implicated Mhlanga on the offences.
Bulawayo Provincial magistrate Tinashe Tashaya remanded the pair to March 22. Mhlanga was freed on a $100 bail while Dube is still in custody.
The pair pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful entry and theft.
State representative Nkathazo Dlodlo told the court that the pair, between January 29 and February 12, teamed up and broke into the canteen and three houses within Fairbridge Camp where they stole laptops, car batteries, beef, groceries, solar lighting kit and gas tanks all valued at $1 443.
“On January 29 at 8 PM, Mhlanga and Dube proceeded to the camp’s canteen where they broke windows and a door to gain entry. They stole 10kg beef, bottles of cooking oil, bags of mealie meal and 24 tins of peanut butter all valued at $293,” said Mr Dlodlo.
During the same night, they went to Mr Setty Mambudzi’s house and stole a car battery worth $350.
Dlodlo said on January 30, the pair broke into Lungisani Gwabi’s house and stole a car battery worth $400.
“On February 11 at 10 PM, a police officer who lives at the camp, Jorum Matemaringa, went to bed leaving his car parked in the yard. The pair used unknown objects to force open the car doors. They opened the bonnet and stole a car battery worth $400 and fled.”
“On February 12 at night, the accused persons went to Farai Gutsa’s house while he was sleeping. They broke into the house and went away with a laptop, 3kgs gas tank and solar lighting kit,” said Dlodlo.
The court heard $810 worth of stolen goods were recovered.
