News / Local
Sleeping top cop loses gun with 15 bullets to thief
04 Jul 2012 at 06:43hrs | Views
A top officer with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Superintendent Wonder Mavhudzi, allegedly lost a CZ service pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition to a burglar as he slept on a couch in his house in Bulawayo in October last year.
Mavhudzi is also the District Criminal Intelligence Officer for Matabeleland South province.
According to the State, the stolen firearm was used in a spate of armed robberies around the country by a well-known robber, Itayi Motsi, who teamed up with a gang on the criminal escapades.
The alleged housebreaker, Louis Muchemwa (27), pleaded not guilty to a charge of unlawful entry when he appeared before provincial magistrate Tendai Mahwe on Friday last week. He was remanded in custody to Tuesday next week when his trial is set to continue.
Presenting the State case, prosecutor Memory Mukapa said on October 30 last year, Muchemwa went to Mavhudzi's residence and scaled over a precast wall to gain entry into the premises.
He then allegedly proceeded to open the dining room door which was not locked and discovered that Mavhudzi was fast asleep on a sofa.
Mavhudzi had reportedly placed his loaded pistol, two mobile phones and his wallet next to him. The court heard that Muchemwa stole the firearm and the phones before stealthily sneaking out of the house unnoticed.
Muchemwa then allegedly gave the gun to his friend, Motsi, who is a known burglar, according to police records.
Motsi in turn allegedly teamed up with a gang and went on a robbing spree across the country, using the stolen firearm.
However, police detectives gathered information on Motsi's whereabouts and eventually arrested him in Waterfalls, Harare, prompting further investigations that led to Muchemwa's arrest.
Mavhudzi is also the District Criminal Intelligence Officer for Matabeleland South province.
According to the State, the stolen firearm was used in a spate of armed robberies around the country by a well-known robber, Itayi Motsi, who teamed up with a gang on the criminal escapades.
The alleged housebreaker, Louis Muchemwa (27), pleaded not guilty to a charge of unlawful entry when he appeared before provincial magistrate Tendai Mahwe on Friday last week. He was remanded in custody to Tuesday next week when his trial is set to continue.
Presenting the State case, prosecutor Memory Mukapa said on October 30 last year, Muchemwa went to Mavhudzi's residence and scaled over a precast wall to gain entry into the premises.
He then allegedly proceeded to open the dining room door which was not locked and discovered that Mavhudzi was fast asleep on a sofa.
Mavhudzi had reportedly placed his loaded pistol, two mobile phones and his wallet next to him. The court heard that Muchemwa stole the firearm and the phones before stealthily sneaking out of the house unnoticed.
Muchemwa then allegedly gave the gun to his friend, Motsi, who is a known burglar, according to police records.
Motsi in turn allegedly teamed up with a gang and went on a robbing spree across the country, using the stolen firearm.
However, police detectives gathered information on Motsi's whereabouts and eventually arrested him in Waterfalls, Harare, prompting further investigations that led to Muchemwa's arrest.
Source - newsday
