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Police officer arrested for stealing two mobile phones
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A police officer stationed at the Gweru Police Protection Unit (PPU), Thulani Sibanda (24), has been arrested for stealing two mobile phones on two separate occasions last week in Victoria Falls.
Sibanda appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Mr. Gift Manyika on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of theft. He was remanded in custody and is expected back in court today for sentencing.
According to State prosecutor Mrs. Portia Moyo, the first incident occurred on May 12, 2025, when Sibanda visited the home of his friend Brian Verinyama, a fellow police officer based at Victoria Falls Police Station. Both men were sitting outside listening to music on Verinyama's Itel A70 mobile phone when the complainant was called inside by his wife, leaving Sibanda alone with the phone. Upon returning, Verinyama discovered that Sibanda had taken the phone.
Verinyama contacted Sibanda, who promised to return the device the following day. However, Sibanda removed the phone's SIM card and became unreachable. A police report was filed, and the phone, valued at US$270, was eventually recovered from a man named Nyasha Samsun, who claimed to have purchased it from Sibanda.
The second theft took place two days later on May 14 at Moringa Shopping Centre in Victoria Falls. Sibanda, posing as a customer, stole a Samsung Galaxy mobile phone belonging to a shopkeeper while the complainant was attending to other customers. The shopkeeper, who had no prior connection to Sibanda, was unable to locate the phone after the theft.
On May 15, Sibanda was arrested in relation to another theft case, and during a search, he was found in possession of the stolen Samsung Galaxy phone. Investigations confirmed the shopkeeper as the rightful owner, and the phone, valued at US$200, was recovered.
The case remains under court proceedings, with Sibanda awaiting sentencing.
Sibanda appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Mr. Gift Manyika on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of theft. He was remanded in custody and is expected back in court today for sentencing.
According to State prosecutor Mrs. Portia Moyo, the first incident occurred on May 12, 2025, when Sibanda visited the home of his friend Brian Verinyama, a fellow police officer based at Victoria Falls Police Station. Both men were sitting outside listening to music on Verinyama's Itel A70 mobile phone when the complainant was called inside by his wife, leaving Sibanda alone with the phone. Upon returning, Verinyama discovered that Sibanda had taken the phone.
Verinyama contacted Sibanda, who promised to return the device the following day. However, Sibanda removed the phone's SIM card and became unreachable. A police report was filed, and the phone, valued at US$270, was eventually recovered from a man named Nyasha Samsun, who claimed to have purchased it from Sibanda.
The second theft took place two days later on May 14 at Moringa Shopping Centre in Victoria Falls. Sibanda, posing as a customer, stole a Samsung Galaxy mobile phone belonging to a shopkeeper while the complainant was attending to other customers. The shopkeeper, who had no prior connection to Sibanda, was unable to locate the phone after the theft.
On May 15, Sibanda was arrested in relation to another theft case, and during a search, he was found in possession of the stolen Samsung Galaxy phone. Investigations confirmed the shopkeeper as the rightful owner, and the phone, valued at US$200, was recovered.
The case remains under court proceedings, with Sibanda awaiting sentencing.
Source - zimpapers
