Military And Police Officers Arrested For Looting Cyclone Handouts
Two military and one police personnel who were deployed at Silverstream Distribution Centre to assist Cyclone Idai victims.were arrested yesterday in connection with looting cyclone aid.
A Daily News article reports that the arrested military officers are in prison after Chipinge Magistrates’ Courts denied them bail.
The accused, Talkmore Collins Mavudzi, Anymore Matata, and Admire Munonyara, have since through their lawyer, Simon Chabuka approached the High Court seeking bail.
Bail was denied on grounds that the accused might interfere with witnesses. Magistrate Farai Gwitima ruled:
While it is true that there may be no evidence at the moment to suggest that the accused persons attempted to interfere with witnesses it cannot be ruled out that chances of interference are very high considering their positions.
“The admissions of the accused persons to bail will jeopardise the interests of justice and they are denied bail.
The court heard that the accused stole 25 boxes of cooking oil, five blankets, 50 litres of diesel, four kilogrammes of washing powder, clothes and shoes on 1 April. They hid their loot at Joseph Mtetwa’s house at Wattle Company Estate Chipinge.
The police which had already been tipped set a roadblock at Jopa turn off where they apprehended Panganai Simango and Macdonald Jumburu who were transporting the loot to a safe place. The police recovered the goods.
Mtetwa who implicated Mavudzi, Matata and Munonyara has also since been arrested.
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