×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Court exhibits officer in dock for theft

News
AN exhibits officer stationed at the Harare Magistrates’ Court appeared in the dock last Friday on allegations of stealing various exhibits left in her custody.

AN exhibits officer stationed at the Harare Magistrates’ Court appeared in the dock last Friday on allegations of stealing various exhibits left in her custody.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

The official is being charged with theft of exhibits which include diamond, gold and cash worth thousands of United States dollars.

Perpetual Mahachi (44) was not asked to plead when she appeared before magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura, who granted her $50 bail and remanded the matter to October 17.

It is the State’s case that sometime between June 22 and September 5 this year, Mahachi stole various goods and cash kept in the exhibits room. The missing exhibits comprise of $990; an undisclosed amount of fake US dollar notes and old Zimbabwe dollar notes, ZAR1 270; 258,73 grammes of smelted gold and one piece of an 18,271-carat diamond.

The State alleges Mahachi is the main suspect as she was the sole custodian of the strongroom keys where the exhibits were kept. The State also alleges that police investigations had ruled out forced entry into the strongroom.

Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.