Man steals CIO identity!

A 23-year-old man has been jailed to an effective three years for stealing an identity card belonging to a Central Intelligence Operative in the office of the President before committing a string of offences posing as an operative. Divon Chirawa, in company of his accomplice broke into the operative's house and made away with his work ID card, laptop and perfumes.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful entry in aggravating circumstances when he appeared before Harare magistrate Lazarus Murendo but was convicted after a full trial.  He was slapped with five years imprisonment before one year was suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. Another year was set aside on condition that he restitutes the complainant.

Prosecutor Patience Chimusaru proved that on January 19, the complainant Mbizo Nyathi left for work around 8am, leaving his Milton Park house secure. During his absence Chirawa and his partner in crime Golden Magwenju,  who is still at large, came to the place  and gained entry into the house. Whilst inside, Chirawa stole Mbizo's identity card, HP laptop, perfumes and an okapi knife and went away.

Mbizo discovered the offence around 8pm and made a report to the police. The court heard that on May 16, detectives received an anonymous call leading to the arrest of Chirawa who later implicated his friend who is still at large. He was interrogated and that led to the recovery of the ID card and the knife. He also  made indications at Mbizo's house and how they committed the offence.

In passing the sentence the court noted that Chirawa went on to commit other offences using the identity card, posing as a CIO operative thereby putting the name of the department into disrepute.