R500 000 stolen at scene of horrific helicopter crash

ABOUT R500 000 is suspected to have been stolen at the scene of the horrific helicopter crash in which Beitbridge tycoon Christian Malila Ndou - who was based in South Africa - died last Sunday.

This emerged when two Maphane Compound residents, Hardlife Tavona Mupaneshure (27) and a 17-year-old boy appeared at the Gwanda Magistrates' Court yesterday facing charges of theft from the helicopter crash scene.

Although Ndou's relatives could not be drawn into commenting on the matter, revelations emerged that he had about R500 000 on him and was on his way to purchase a house in Beitbridge when he met his horrific death.

Sources at his funeral at Siyoka village on Saturday said Ndou was on his way to Beitbridge were he was set to seal a deal to buy a house worth $50 000 with his lawyers last Monday. The deal reportedly involved a cash payment.

Residents at Maphane, about 6km outside Gwanda town, are suspected to have made some rich pickings following the chopper's crash even though the police had mounted a roadblock less than a kilometre from the crash scene.

It was revealed that Ndou had thrown his belongings, which included his bags, to the ground before attempting to jump to safety as the helicopter nosed-dived after a suspected mechanical failure. Mupaneshure and the 17-year-old boy appeared before Gwanda magistrate Sheila Nazombe for allegedly stealing an undisclosed amount of Ndou's cash and some other valuables.

The boy admitted to picking up two cellphones, but denied stealing any money saying he had been given R800 by Khulani Makaza to silence them after they saw him picking up some money at the crash site. Makaza is still at large.

Mupaneshure and the boy were remanded in custody to today for judgment.

The court heard Ndou was flying his private chopper at around 6:30am when it suddenly crashed in Maphane.

Mupaneshure, the boy and Makaza are said to have been among the first people to reach the crash site where they found Ndou's property that had been ejected from the helicopter scattered in the bush.

They allegedly stole two Nokia cellphones with Vodacom sim cards, an unknown amount of cash and a battery torch.

The three shared the loot with Mupaneshure and the boy each getting R800 and a Nokia cellphone.

The two alleged that Makaza took the lion's share of the money and disappeared.

Acting on a tip-off, police searched the accused's homes and recovered a Nokia cellphone, a torch, two Vodacom sim cards and cash amounting to R60 and $2 from Mupaneshure.

A satchel, a cellphone charger, battery and headphones, which were bought using the stolen money, were also recovered from Mupaneshure.

A Nokia cellphone was also recovered from the boy and he admitted to nicking the cellphone, but said he had returned the cash to the crash site

after his mother had reprimanded him.

The boy stated that he had tried to hand over the cellphone to a neighbourhood watch member, who refused to accept it.
The total value of the stolen property is unknown.

Ndou ran a thriving security company in South Africa and was flying a Robinson R44 helicopter worth about $425 000.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, however, dismissed as speculation that Ndou could have lost such large amounts of money.

"Those are rumours," she said.