The Sunday News
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE trial of a 33-year-old man from Gutu, Masvingo who was recently arrested in Beitbridge after allegedly breaking into two houses and stealing an assortment of goods among them an AK-47 rifle belonging to a member of the President’s Department has been postponed to 19 November.
Obey Mhuru was arrested after he was hit by a car by a man he had threatened to shoot using the same rifle in the Vhembe View suburb (former low density) on 22 October.
The case was postponed to allow him to get medical attention at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare.
Mhuru who initially appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate, Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba while in hospital, was on Friday remanded to the next trial date in absentia due to his medical condition.
He has been charged with two counts of unlawful entry.
Prosecuting, Ms Fezile Mpofu said on 7 September, at about 5pm, Mhuru stole a Samsung J7 smartphone, cash R1 000 and US$70 after breaking into a cottage in Benne Knot Street.
He said the man took advantage of the complainant’s absence and broke the door to gain entry.
The court further heard that on the following day at around 5pm, the accused went to a house belonging to the President’s Department where the occupants were away.
He then broke open the door to the dining room and subsequently forced open the doors to the other rooms, where he ransacked the house and stole an AK-47 rifle (shot butt) and a magazine with 30 rounds.
Both offences were discovered on 9 September and were reported to the police.
Mhuru was arrested early on 22 October, at around 2 am, at another house in Hill-Clause in the same suburb after being hit by a car as he attempted to attack one of the occupants using the stolen AK47 rifle.
The rifle was subsequently recovered loaded with 19 rounds and the accused opened up to investigators during interrogations that he had stolen the firearm from a house at Benne Knot Street. — @tupeyo
