News / National
Mnangagwa's maize stolen
17 Jun 2014 at 07:45hrs | Views
Three farm workers have been taken to courts over allegations of stealing 10 tonnes of maize from Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa's Brandford Farm sometime between April and May.
Isaiah Mugavazi (43), Peter Goredema (26) and Tinashe Dube (27) appeared before Resident Magistrate Taurai Manwere accused of stealing maize worth $2 800 from the farm.
The minister represented by his younger brother Patrick who also doubles as the farm manager alleges that the three hatched a plot to steal the maize during the time of harvesting.
It is the State's case that Goredema who is employed as a tractor driver, teamed up with his supervisor Mugavazi and instead of driving the tractor loaded with maize to the storeroom he drove it to a nearby bush.
"They offloaded the maize in the bush and packed the 10 tonnes in sacks which had been provided by Dube, the maize was sold to an unknown buyer who was driving a white pickup, registration unknown, and nothing was recovered," part of the State outline reads.
Mugavazi is alleged to have been the chief architect after having hooked up with the unknown buyer at Muwandi shopping centre some 2km away from Brandford Farm and sealed the deal to sell the stolen loot.
The three are represented by defence lawyer Chigomere and still in remand prison after failing to raise $100 bail granted by Manwere when they appeared last Thursday.
Chigomere said his clients were failing to raise the total $300 bail because their income only came from salaries paid by the farm.
"They are still in remand and will be expected back in court on June 24, but at the moment their families are running around to get money so that we could post bail for them," he said.
Isaiah Mugavazi (43), Peter Goredema (26) and Tinashe Dube (27) appeared before Resident Magistrate Taurai Manwere accused of stealing maize worth $2 800 from the farm.
The minister represented by his younger brother Patrick who also doubles as the farm manager alleges that the three hatched a plot to steal the maize during the time of harvesting.
It is the State's case that Goredema who is employed as a tractor driver, teamed up with his supervisor Mugavazi and instead of driving the tractor loaded with maize to the storeroom he drove it to a nearby bush.
"They offloaded the maize in the bush and packed the 10 tonnes in sacks which had been provided by Dube, the maize was sold to an unknown buyer who was driving a white pickup, registration unknown, and nothing was recovered," part of the State outline reads.
Mugavazi is alleged to have been the chief architect after having hooked up with the unknown buyer at Muwandi shopping centre some 2km away from Brandford Farm and sealed the deal to sell the stolen loot.
The three are represented by defence lawyer Chigomere and still in remand prison after failing to raise $100 bail granted by Manwere when they appeared last Thursday.
Chigomere said his clients were failing to raise the total $300 bail because their income only came from salaries paid by the farm.
"They are still in remand and will be expected back in court on June 24, but at the moment their families are running around to get money so that we could post bail for them," he said.
Source - Southern Eye
