Former police officer nabbed for stealing bricks

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor

A FORMER police officer was recently found guilty of stealing bricks that belong to Hwange Colliery Company.

The former officer, Manas Mbano (43) from Hwange was arraigned before the Hwange Magistrates’ Court facing theft charges.

In a statement, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe revealed that Mbano was caught red-handed on 3 May by police detectives on a routine patrol.

They reportedly found him offloading bricks from his truck in a bushy area near GVZ Leisure Centre.

“The bricks were inscribed ‘Wankie bricks’. The accused person failed to give a satisfactory explanation to the Police of how he had come into possession of the bricks, leading to his arrest. The Hwange Colliery Company loss control officer identified the bricks as the company’s property,” reads the statement.

Mbano was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment of which four months were suspended for five years. A further eight months were suspended on condition that he performs 280 hours of community service.