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Emily Mbewe Court Reporter
A MAN who admitted to being part of a five-member house-breaking syndicate that broke into Magamba complex at Nkulumane’s Sekusile shopping centre in Bulawayo, stunned a packed courtroom when he said the other four people who were arrested with him were not part of the gang.

There was a moment of shocked silence at the Western Commonage Magistrate Courts when Tapiwa Ngazimbe, 24, said police had arrested the wrong people as his accomplices were still at large.

On May 21 this year, a five member gang stole property worth $9,523 from the complex.

Sticking to his story, Ngazimbe told Magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze: “Your worship, l plead guilty to five counts of unlawful entry and theft but to my surprise the men that l committed the offences with are not here. I don’t know the men l’m being jointly charged with.”

The magistrate told Ngazimbe he could go to prison for a long time if he was lying.

“Collectively, you might be facing 32 counts of unlawful entry and theft, if they sent you to come and protect them, it will not help in anyway because during cross examination you will be caught,” said Msipa Marondedze.

“Prosecutor, call the investigating officer in this matter because he has to listen to what this man is saying, and get identification of those who are said to be his accomplices.”

She remanded the case to July 13 for trial.

Two suspected members of the gang, Wonder Mahuni alias Manhai Mahuni, 34, and Sylvester Chitandawata, 31, were arrested on June 27.

They were not asked to plead and remanded in custody to today for bail ruling.

The other two, Dominic Tichavananga and Kenneth Nyamhotsi were arraigned before Magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze on June 1 and pleaded not guilty to unlawful entry and theft.

Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza said on May 21 this year at around 2AM, Mahuni, Chitandawata, Tichavananga and Nyamhotsi proceeded to Fairtown Investments foundation trading as Magamba complex where they jumped over the precast wall to gain entry.

“While in the yard the gang proceeded to force open a locked shop door using a metal bar to gain entrance,” said Mageza.

When they were inside, the court heard, they took a Samsung D600 and Vinko Z10 cell phone.

The court heard that they proceeded to Albert Mkwacha’s shop where they used the same tactic to open the door and steal a Nokia Lumia 2820 and GTel A70Z mobile phone and left.