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Insiza South MP loses gold ore to workers

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A FORMER police officer and three co-workers employed at Eric Mine in Matabeleland South province have been charged with theft of unspecified quantities of gold ore and concentrate from their employer.

BY SILAS NKALA

A FORMER police officer and three co-workers employed at Eric Mine in Matabeleland South province have been charged with theft of unspecified quantities of gold ore and concentrate from their employer.

The mine is owned by Insiza South MP Spare Sithole (Zanu PF).

The quartet was betrayed by its flashy lifestyles which did not match its earnings.

Valentine Mahachi (36) of Gutu in Masvingo province, Tedious Bhurusa (23) of Chirumanzu and Marxwell Ncube (54), a former police officer of Bekezela township in Filabusi, initially appeared before resident magistrate Abednico Ndebele on March 28 following their arrest on March 26.

They were back in court last week, where they applied for bail pending trial and Ndebele remanded them to April 29 on $10 000 bail each.

They were ordered to report to police every last Friday of the month.

Their alleged accomplice Shelton Dines was also arrested and brought to court separately.

He was granted $10 000 bail on similar conditions. He will appear together with others for trial.

Prosecutor Shepherd Moyo told the court that the alleged theft took place between January and March 28 this year.

The court was told that on several occasions during the period in question, the four, with their other accomplices, who are still at large, would steal gold ore or concentrate, sell it and share the proceeds.

It is alleged that the theft came to light after one of the employees at the mine blew the whistle to management after noticing a change in the lifestyle of his colleagues, which was not commensurate with their earnings.

A report was made to the police, leading to their arrest.

On their arrest, Mahachi, who is a tractor driver at the mine, was found in possession of US$2 000, big radio speakers, an amplifier and a new vehicle worth US$3 900.

Bhurusa was found in possession of US$260 and $40, while nothing was recovered from Ncube and Dines.

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