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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
A man who allegedly broke into premises in separate incidents in Binga and stole property worth more than $200 000 has been arrested.

Bernard Mukandawire (36), who is originally from Dzowa village, Chief Nyamhunga in Hurungwe, was arrested last week Monday at a temporary hideout he had established in the bush to hide the loot.

He was charged with three counts of unlawful entry into premises in aggravating circumstances, two of theft and another of unlawful possession of articles for criminal use.

Mkandawire pleaded not guilty to one count of unlawful entry into premises in aggravating circumstances and guilty to the other five counts when he appeared before Binga magistrate Mr Urgent Vundla.

The case went into full trial for the single count which Mukandawire pleaded not guilty on, and judgment is expected today when all the counts will be finalised.

Mukandawire is in custody. 

Prosecuting, Mr Quiet Mpofu said Mukandawire used a bolt cutter to break into Crocodile Farm twice, Lakeview Lodge and a house in Low Density suburb between 31 May and Monday last week.

“On the first count, the complainant is Mr Noble Anesu Sakuringwa who is a doctor at Crocodile Farm. On 31 May, the complainant retired to bed after securing his house by closing windows and locking doors. During the night Mukandawire smashed a windowpane and gained entry.

While inside he took a 51-inch plasma TV, two Nokia cellphones and two tracksuits bottoms and went away,” said the prosecutor.

The accused allegedly proceeded to the same premises again on 13 June at night and stole a 160 AMP water pump, five by 25 litres speed boat tanks, a wrench spanner and fire extinguisher belonging to Mr Noddy Dube. The property was in a garage.

 The court was told that on Monday Mukandawire went to Lakeview Lodge where he allegedly used a bolt cutter to cut a hole on the perimeter fence to gain entry into the premises.

He proceeded to the storeroom where he smashed a window pane and stole groceries belonging to Mr Daler Leach, the owner of the property.

He also allegedly drained 70 litres of diesel from a parked Land Cruiser and went away.

On the same night, Mukandawire allegedly used a bolt cutter to force open a window into Mr Martin Johannes Kok’s house in Low Density suburb and stole a cellphone and plasma TV. 

Mr Kok later woke up and discovered the theft, and alerted neighbours and police.

In the morning residents and police tracked the accused’s footprints and found Mukandawire at a hideout which he had established on a hill near Crocodile Farm.

Mukandawire was arrested as he tried to flee.  Police found a bolt cutter in a satchel that he was carrying.

The total value of stolen property was $224 780 and $200 780 worth of the loot was recovered. 

-@ncubeleon