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Thubelihle Mabhena Court Reporter
A WORKER at Fools Investment Milling Plant allegedly teamed up with two accomplices to steal gold worth $82,925 from the Chinese owned company.

Godknows Vheza, 32, of Old Esigodini Road, Emmanuel Banda, 25, of Matsheumhlope suburb were arrested over the heist while Qinisela Mlala, 38, of Hope Fountain, is still on the run. The trio was allegedly spotted by security guards loading the carbon gold into a taxi which drove off to an unknown destination.

Vheza and Banda were yesterday hauled to court where they pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft. Their trial, before Bulawayo Magistrate Gladmore Mushove, failed to kick off yesterday as the State could not avail a Chinese interpreter for the victim.

The magistrate was forced to remand them in custody to March 17.

The State alleges that the men stole from company director Xu Xiaofel, who resides at Hope Fountain, Bulawayo.

The State alleges that sometime in June last year at around 2AM, Vheza, Banda and Mlala were seen loading 150 kilogrammes of carbon gold into a taxi. When the crime was discovered by Tamuka Zinyengeri, the company manager, Vheza, who was an employee, allegedly told him the carbon gold was from another mine situated in the area in a bid to cover up the offence. The State’s case outline reads: “On August 10, last year, company officials told Xiaofel, who reported the matter the following day at Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Minerals, Bulawayo and investigations were initialised.”

Investigations revealed that, Vheza facilitated the offence of carbon gold theft from Fools Investments, said Matanga.

The list of dates when Vheza visited the company where he would dispose the gold from the stolen carbons is on a document submitted to the court.

The total gold stolen is 2,304 grammes valued at $82,965 and nothing was recovered.