A SOLDIER facing theft and unlawful entry charges had the shortest of liberty when he was granted $150 bail by a Karoi magistrate only to be rearrested a few minutes later by his employer, the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).
NUNURAI JENA/ CLAYTON MASEKESA
It is the State’s outline that the suspect, Kudzai Nyereyemhuka (28), connived with an accomplice, Learnmore Mupona, who is still on the run, to break into premises at Garrison Shop at Magunje Barracks on February 26 2015.
Nyereyemhuka is a duly attested 2nd Lieutenant in the ZNA based at Magunje Barracks, while Mupona is a private soldier at Parachute Regiment D at Inkomo Barracks.
On the day in question just after midnight, the two allegedly broke into the premises and stole 36 laptops valued at $757 each, eight voice tablets valued at $636 each and 24 Vodaphone handsets valued at $220 each.
They loaded the stolen goods into a Mazda Familia vehicle, but ran out of fuel after reaching Magunje growth point.
They had to use another car owned by Mupona to transport their loot, leaving the Mazda unattended.
A brand new phone was discovered in the car when a search was carried out by the police.
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Information was leaked that Nyereyemhuka was hiding at Kemureza and he implicated his accomplice who was at his house in Western Triangle in Highfield, Harare, where 30 brand new laptops, all the Vodaphone handsets and the voice tablets were recovered under the bed, kitchen unit and wardrobe.
On March 1 2015, Mupona escaped at Nyabira tollgate along Harare-Chirundu Highway and is still on the run.
The total value of goods stolen is pegged at $43 094, while goods recovered were valued at $38 597 .
Magistrate Obedience Matare set March 26 as trial date.
Lawyer Samuel Muyemeki represented Nyereyemhuka, while Gilbert Dhamusi prosecuted.4
Meanwhile, a prisoner’s desire for freedom was halted when he attempted to escape from Mutare Remand Prison on Monday morning, but was quickly stopped by alert prison guards.
Gideon Dangarembizi (18) could not stomach jail life and attempted to escape from custody around 10am while he was working at the remand prison’s garden.
As he was working in the garden, he suddenly bolted towards the eastern direction that leads to Mutare Main Bath swimming pool with prison officers in hot pursuit.
The officers gave chase for about 800 metres and caught up with him at Mutare’s traffic circle.
Dangarembizi said he attempted to escape from prison as he felt that he had not stolen the bicycle he was jailed for, but, instead accused his brother of the theft.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services spokesperson Elizabeth Banda said: “We encourage inmates to use proper channels to appeal against their sentences rather than trying to escape. This will mean that he (Dangarembizi) will be charged for attempting to escape from custody.”
