TWO Bulawayo City Council (BCC) plumbers accused of demanding $200 to reconnect water supplies at businessman, Mgcini Nkolomi’s restaurant have been acquitted for lack of evidence.
BY SILAS NKALA
Mkhululi Ncube (42) of Nkulumane and Munyori Zhou of Pumula South, were facing abuse of office charges when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushove. They then filed an application for discharge citing lack of evidence.
Last week Mushove ruled in their favour, saying the State had failed to prove that the council employees had indeed, committed the offence.
In their defence, Ncube and Zhou argued that they were not public officers and could not be charged as such.
They said that sometime last year, they were approached by Nkolomi’s employee, Ntombenhle Ncube, who said the restaurant had a huge water bill and they advised her that there must be a water leakage somewhere before offering to repair the leaks during their free time for $150.
The two said Ntombenhle later called them to collect their money and Zhou sent Ncube to get the money. They said the payment was not for water reconnection, but was for the repairs of the pipes.
The court heard that on November 30 last year, council plumbers disconnected water at Nkolomo’s McInn Restaurant for non-payment of water bills. Ntombenhle, being the manager, phoned Nkolomi to advise him of the disconnection. Ncube and Zhou allegedly reconnected water to the restaurant before Nkolomi had settled the bill with BCC.
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On February 3, 2016, Silas Ncube and Nomalanga Tshuma, as council plumbers, disconnected water from the restaurant after discovering that the supply had been unlawfully reconnected. The restaurant manager phoned the owner again to advise him of the disconnection. Ncube and Zhou allegedly went to the restaurant and demanded $250 to have the water reconnected. The manager advised her employer about the demand. Nkolomi reported the matter to council security officials and was advised to report to the police.
A trap was set and notes amounting to $200 were photocopied and certified for the purpose of the trap. Zhou sent Ncube to McInn Restaurant to collect the money.
After collecting it, he was arrested and the trap money was recovered from his pocket. Zhou, who had remained outside, disappeared when he realised that Ncube had taken long to come out. He was later arrested.
