05 Jan 2014

Three Zimbabwean nationals charged with two counts of burglary and theft  recently  appeared before Molepolole's Senior Magistrate William Modise.

According to the prosecution, 23-year-old Themba Kwanele Dube, Khumbulani Nkomo (24) and Siphamandla Ndlovu (23) broke into one Mr January’s store room in Kumakwane  and stole an electric water pump worth P9 000  on December 23.

Two days later, the accused, broke yet again into Mr January’s residence and stole a Robin water pump worth P20 000, a Spheng  generator worth P5 000, a Tanco welding machine worth P3 500, black truck battery worth P1 200 and a Humson speaker whose  value was not known

Nkomo pleaded guilty while his co-accused pleaded not guilty, saying that he was the one who broke into the stoteroom and stole because after 11 years of working for to Mr January, the latter refused to pay him, help him renew his residential permit and also threatened to grievously harm him when he requested his payment.

When the court asked him how he entered the building and how he managed to pick and carry all the stolen property alone, he said he had the key to the storeroom. He also said water pumps were not heavy and he used a car belonging to a friend named Cosmos Ncube who had already gone to Zimbabwe.

Dube and Ndlovu said they did not know anything about the stolen property saying they were arrested only because they were found with Nkomo after the theft. State prosecutor, Sub-inspector Mshingo Kedikanetswe of Thamaga police asked the court to grant the state time to prepare the facts for Nkomo.

Sub-Inspector Kedikanetswe also asked the court to extend the remand warrant of the accused persons as investigations were still ongoing and that since they were foreigners, they were bound to flee the country. Senior Magistrate Modise informed Nkomo that he could have sought help from the labour officers and Botswana police rather than steal.

Senior Magistrate Modise also said it was still early to release the other accused persons as Nkomo’s plea of guilty was yet to be tested to check if it did not raise any doubts. The case continues on Monday (January 6, 2014). ends