News / National
Burglars raid minister's house
25 Aug 2021 at 06:41hrs | Views
THREE serial burglars allegedly broke into Women's Affairs Minister Sithembiso Nyoni's house in Chisipite, Harare and stole household items worth US$10 500.
Justin Nyamakanga Dodzo, Godfrey Magadu and Tafadzwa Mupfuurira yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court facing four counts of unlawful entry. The trio was not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga who remanded them in custody to today for continuation of their bail application.
The State, through the investigating officer, opposed the granting of bail to the trio, saying they were flight risks and also likely to commit similar offences.
The investigating officer also said Dodzo had breached bail conditions and evaded trial at Kadoma Magistrates Court where he was issued with an arrest warrant, for a similar offence. Dodzo is said to have again, failed to avail himself at the Harare Magistrates Court where he is facing another 14 counts of unlawful entry. He was also issued with an arrest warrant.
The State said it wanted to verify whether Magadu and Mupfuurira had other cases and previous convictions. Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti, told the court that on July 21 this year, Minister Nyoni left Clinton Nkala, who is a caretaker and Steady Chikwaya from the police protection unit, manning her house.
The next day, Nkala, locked the doors and left Chikwaya on guard. On July 23, at around 5.45am, Nkala was awakened by Chikwaya who wanted to know why he had left the doors open during the night. Nkala is said to have told Chikwaya that he had locked the doors when he retired to bed. They conducted a check around the house and noticed that the television set was missing and further checks revealed that various household items had been stolen.
Minister Nyoni's son, Dumisani, reported the matter to police. Mr Mutsokoti said on August 16 this year at around 2am Joseph Mudehanha of Chisipite, was in his house when the three burglars stormed his house and knocked on the bedroom door.
Mudehanha answered to the knock and saw Dodzo and his co-accused in his house armed with knives and iron bars. The trio allegedly ordered him to lie on the floor and demanded cash.
Mudehanha told them he had no money before the accused ransacked the house and stole a bicycle and three cellphones. The suspects then went to the room where Prisca Chimbare, who is employed as a maid, was sleeping and assaulted her before taking her cellphone. On August 9, the three allegedly broke into Florence Marechera's house in Vainona at around 1am and stole a 50 inch TV set, a laptop, printer, spare wheel and other valuables all worth US$5 000.
On August 17, Mudehanha spotted Godfrey Chamunoda riding his stolen bicycle at Chisipite Shopping Centre and confronted him. Chamunoda then told Mudehanha that he had bought the bicycle from Magadu.
Magadu then led police to Glen Norah B in Harare where Dodzo and Mupfuurira were arrested at their residences.
Justin Nyamakanga Dodzo, Godfrey Magadu and Tafadzwa Mupfuurira yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court facing four counts of unlawful entry. The trio was not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga who remanded them in custody to today for continuation of their bail application.
The State, through the investigating officer, opposed the granting of bail to the trio, saying they were flight risks and also likely to commit similar offences.
The investigating officer also said Dodzo had breached bail conditions and evaded trial at Kadoma Magistrates Court where he was issued with an arrest warrant, for a similar offence. Dodzo is said to have again, failed to avail himself at the Harare Magistrates Court where he is facing another 14 counts of unlawful entry. He was also issued with an arrest warrant.
The State said it wanted to verify whether Magadu and Mupfuurira had other cases and previous convictions. Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti, told the court that on July 21 this year, Minister Nyoni left Clinton Nkala, who is a caretaker and Steady Chikwaya from the police protection unit, manning her house.
The next day, Nkala, locked the doors and left Chikwaya on guard. On July 23, at around 5.45am, Nkala was awakened by Chikwaya who wanted to know why he had left the doors open during the night. Nkala is said to have told Chikwaya that he had locked the doors when he retired to bed. They conducted a check around the house and noticed that the television set was missing and further checks revealed that various household items had been stolen.
Minister Nyoni's son, Dumisani, reported the matter to police. Mr Mutsokoti said on August 16 this year at around 2am Joseph Mudehanha of Chisipite, was in his house when the three burglars stormed his house and knocked on the bedroom door.
Mudehanha answered to the knock and saw Dodzo and his co-accused in his house armed with knives and iron bars. The trio allegedly ordered him to lie on the floor and demanded cash.
Mudehanha told them he had no money before the accused ransacked the house and stole a bicycle and three cellphones. The suspects then went to the room where Prisca Chimbare, who is employed as a maid, was sleeping and assaulted her before taking her cellphone. On August 9, the three allegedly broke into Florence Marechera's house in Vainona at around 1am and stole a 50 inch TV set, a laptop, printer, spare wheel and other valuables all worth US$5 000.
On August 17, Mudehanha spotted Godfrey Chamunoda riding his stolen bicycle at Chisipite Shopping Centre and confronted him. Chamunoda then told Mudehanha that he had bought the bicycle from Magadu.
Magadu then led police to Glen Norah B in Harare where Dodzo and Mupfuurira were arrested at their residences.
Source - the herald
