Zanu-PF in court for stealing grass

ZANU-PF councillor in Victoria Falls, Elias Mzamba, on Monday appeared in court for stealing thatch grass worth $150 from Woodlands Camp on the outskirts of the resort town.

Mzamba, the councillor for Woodlands Farm ward, is jointly charged with Brian Mwale.

They both pleaded not guilty to theft when they appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani and were remanded out of custody to January 17.

In his defence Mzamba said: "I work for a company called Words of Advice which runs Woodlands Camp. Mwale was contracted to thatch some buildings at the camp. Mwale then approached me and said he wanted payment in the form of thatching grass because his workers were complaining. I told him that I had not seen the other members of the board and so he should wait since one of the project managers was not feeling well. The project manager died and after the funeral, I then heard this story that I had stolen thatching grass. I did not steal the grass nor did I tell Mwale to go and collect the grass as payment for the work he had done."

Mwale indicated to the court that he collected the thatching grass from the camp with the blessing of Mzamba who had failed to pay him and his workers for another thatching job they had conducted at the camp.

"Mzamba, who was my employer, said he did not have money to pay me and I should go to the camp and collect grass which I used to pay my people," Mwale said.

Prosecutor Takunda Ndovorwi told the court that on August 3 last year at around 3pm, Mwale arrived at Woodlands Camp and told Christopher Mumpande the security guard that he had been given authority by Mzamba to collect thatching grass. He proceeded to where the grass was kept and loaded it into a T35 truck and drove away.