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Sukulwenkosi Dube- Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
A HEADMAN and two village heads from Figtree have been arrested for allegedly stealing scrap metal worth $96 000, and selling it for $2 000.

Headman Israel Tokwana (62), Andrew Ncube (63) and Partson Ncube (67) reportedly took four electric motors, a fan motor, two scooper electricals, a dam scooper, a car body and chassis which belongs to Mbokodo Abattoir owner, Mr Erick Noel York from Fairview Business Centre.

They allegedly sold the stolen property for $2 000.

The trio pleaded not guilty to theft when they appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Mr Taurai Manwere. They were remanded out of custody to August 29 on $50 bail for trial.

In his defence, Tokwana told the court that he had assumed that the equipment had been abandoned as it had been left unattended for many years.

“As community leaders we realised that the scrap metal had been there unattended for a long time and we assumed that it had been abandoned. We have an ongoing project of building a school in our area and we thought we could sell the equipment and raise money for the project.

“We are in the process of building two classroom blocks and 20 toilets and we thought the money would come in handy. We didn’t know that the equipment had an owner. We genuinely thought that we were doing a good thing for the community,” he said.

Prosecuting, Mr Zorodzai Pengapenga said two men arrived in Figtree looking for scrap metal to buy. He said Tokwana said they had the scrap metal which in fact belonged to Mr York.

He said Tokwana authorised the sale of the property and assigned Andrew and Partson to show the mentioned scrap metal to the buyers.

“The trio made an agreement with the buyers and agreed to sell the property at $2 000. They received $800 as part of the payment of the scrap metal on August 6. The buyers went on to collect the scrap metal but were intercepted after Mr York had received a tip off on the deal that the community leaders had made,” he said.

Mr Pengapenga said the stolen property is valued at $96 000 and everything was recovered.

@DubeMatutu