Zim duo in court for theft of laptops in Botswana

TWO Matobo from Bezha Village allegedly connived and stole laptops worth $3 000 in Botswana.

Bongani Ncube (25) and Artwell Ncube (34) broke into five separate houses in Selebi Phikwe area and stole five laptops and three cellphones from separate houses.

They ran out of luck when they were intercepted by police at a roadblock in Mangwe District while attempting to transport their loot to Bulawayo aboard a bus. The pair was found in possession of the property which had been reported stolen in the neighbouring country.

They were faced with six counts when they appeared before Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa. Prosecuting, Mr Medica Tshuma, told the court that between 13 November and 2 December last year the pair broke into five houses during the night.

"The accused persons broke into five different houses in Selebi Phikwe area in Botswana. They stole property which comprised five laptops and three cellphones amounting to $3 000.

"On 10 December they conveyed the property into the country through a bushy area at Makorokoro, Mayobodo area in Mangwe District," he said.

"They were arrested around 6pm on the same day at a roadblock at Matiwana area in Brunapeg."
He told the court that police who were manning the roadblock stopped a Mega Bus which was bound for Bulawayo.

They conducted a search and discovered four bags which contained the stolen property. The accused persons were arrested immediately. The stolen property was confiscated and the complainants were summoned to identify their properties.

In their mitigation the accused persons denied the allegations laid against them. They told the court that they had bought the laptops and cellphones from a bus rank in Gaborone. They were remanded in custody to 22 January for trial.