News / Local
Pair arrested for $53,000 fake hair
01 Dec 2014 at 07:13hrs | Views
TWO men have been dragged to court for allegedly stealing boxes of hair extensions valued at $53,000 from a Bulawayo-based Chinese businessman.
Tinos Vheremu, 30, of Nkulumane 12 and Gram Mbalekwa, 29, of New Mabvuku appeared on Friday before provincial magistrate Sibongile Msipa facing theft charges.
The duo pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with six months being suspended for five years on condition that that they do not commit an offence of a similar nature.
Prosecuting, Taurai Hondoyemoto told the court that on November 13, Sang Yong Lee ordered 398 boxes of hair pieces from Botswana.
"Lee contracted Ebony Company which is based in Botswana to transport the consignment to Bulawayo," said Hondoyemoto.
A third co-accused Langton Ruzane, who is still at large and employed by Ebony Company, was assigned to drive the consignment to Bulawayo using a Toyota vehicle.
The court heard that on November 17, Ruzane while in Bulawayo, connived with his brother-in law, Vheremu and his best friend, Mbalekwa and diverted the consignment to 1130 Mbundane where they offloaded it for resale.
"Vheremu and Mbalekwa acted in common purpose and further transferred some of the consignment to a house in Nkulumane 12," said Hondoyemoto.
On the same day at around 9.30 PM, Ruzane drove the truck to the 20km peg along the Bulawayo-Plumtree road and set the vehicle on fire to conceal the theft.
Ruzane then filed an accident report at Nkulumane police traffic department stating that the whole consignment had been burnt, said Hondoyemoto.
On Wednesday last week, detectives received a tip off that there were two houses at Nkulumane 12 and Mbundane with suspicious boxes.
The court heard that the detectives proceeded to investigate house number 1130 Mbundane where they arrested Vheremu and Mbalekwa who implicated Ruzane who is still at large.
"The detectives recovered 79 boxes of hair pieces from 1130 Mbundane and 29 boxes of hair pieces from 13553 Nkulumane 12 with the assistance of the duo," said Hondoyemoto.
The total value of stolen goods was $53,000 and everything was recovered.
Tinos Vheremu, 30, of Nkulumane 12 and Gram Mbalekwa, 29, of New Mabvuku appeared on Friday before provincial magistrate Sibongile Msipa facing theft charges.
The duo pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with six months being suspended for five years on condition that that they do not commit an offence of a similar nature.
Prosecuting, Taurai Hondoyemoto told the court that on November 13, Sang Yong Lee ordered 398 boxes of hair pieces from Botswana.
"Lee contracted Ebony Company which is based in Botswana to transport the consignment to Bulawayo," said Hondoyemoto.
A third co-accused Langton Ruzane, who is still at large and employed by Ebony Company, was assigned to drive the consignment to Bulawayo using a Toyota vehicle.
The court heard that on November 17, Ruzane while in Bulawayo, connived with his brother-in law, Vheremu and his best friend, Mbalekwa and diverted the consignment to 1130 Mbundane where they offloaded it for resale.
"Vheremu and Mbalekwa acted in common purpose and further transferred some of the consignment to a house in Nkulumane 12," said Hondoyemoto.
On the same day at around 9.30 PM, Ruzane drove the truck to the 20km peg along the Bulawayo-Plumtree road and set the vehicle on fire to conceal the theft.
Ruzane then filed an accident report at Nkulumane police traffic department stating that the whole consignment had been burnt, said Hondoyemoto.
On Wednesday last week, detectives received a tip off that there were two houses at Nkulumane 12 and Mbundane with suspicious boxes.
The court heard that the detectives proceeded to investigate house number 1130 Mbundane where they arrested Vheremu and Mbalekwa who implicated Ruzane who is still at large.
"The detectives recovered 79 boxes of hair pieces from 1130 Mbundane and 29 boxes of hair pieces from 13553 Nkulumane 12 with the assistance of the duo," said Hondoyemoto.
The total value of stolen goods was $53,000 and everything was recovered.
Source - chronicle
