Transport ministry workers nabbed for cement theft

TRANSPORT and Infrastructural Development ministry workers along the Mushandirapamwe-Wedza Highway, who stole over 80 bags of cement and quarry stones on Friday, appeared before Marondera magistrate Arnold Maburo facing theft charges.

The ministry employees, Mambo Magumise (48) and Wirimayi Zimbiti (33) are being charged together with Simon Muzanenhamo (34) and Renias Dave (33) who are drivers for Top Quality and Wilyan Enterprise, the companies contracted to rehabilitate the highway, respectively.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges and are expected in court today for trial. According to court papers, in May the government embarked on a project to rehabilitate Wedza-Mushandirapamwe road and hired a number of companies to assist in the construction of the highway.

It is alleged that between May and September, the ministry bought and stocked construction material at its Wedza workshop, which was later ferried to the construction site using hired trucks. But the accused persons stole 84 bags of PPC cement and 21 cubic metres of quarry stones which they sold to the community around the construction site and shared the proceeds.

They were arrested after a tip off to the police. The police recovered 20 bags of cement that had been sold to Sarudzai Zvarevashe, one load of quarry stones sold to Challenge Makurumure and another to Taurai Mararike.

The value of the stolen materials was $1 740 and only $386 was recovered.