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Courtney Matende, Midlands Reporter

TWO men from Bulawayo have been arrested for allegedly stealing more than US$40 000 which was under a Harare-bound City Link luxury bus driver’s seat after the bus had stopped at a pick up and drop off point in Gweru.

Joseph Tichafa Mahoto (38) of Matshobane suburb and Nhlalwenhle Mqawami (35) of Pumula East suburb yesterday appeared before Gweru magistrate Mrs Mildred Matuvi facing theft charges.

The duo pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody to August 5.

It is the State case that on July 3, Mahoto, Mqawami and an accomplice who is still at large hatched a plan to steal money from Mr Pemberai Kadugure, a City Link coach driver.

The prosecutor, Ms Namatirai Chipere, said the trio had information that Mr Kadugure was in possession of a plastic bag containing USD$12 000, USD$26 060 and USD$2 395.

Mr Kadugure had allegedly received the foreign currency from Messrs Tapiwa Gandiwa, Mavuto Phiri and Tinotenda Mutsetse in Bulawayo.

He was supposed to handover the money to Messrs Tonderai Chirindo, Modern Mafunga and Eddie Shamurayi in Harare.

Ms Chipere said Mqawami and his accomplice, who is on the run, allegedly boarded the City Link bus in Bulawayo at around 2PM.

She said Mahoto followed the bus to Gweru driving a Mazda Alteza vehicle.

Ms Chipere said Mr Kadugure parked the bus at Total Service Station in Clonsilla, Gweru, to drop off and pick up some passengers.

He alighted from the bus to assist passengers who had luggage.

Mqawami in the company of accused person still at large allegedly took advantage of the time Mr Kadugure had gone outside and stole the plastic bag containing the money under the bus driver’s seat.

The duo, Ms Chipere said, fled towards the Bulawayo-Harare highway where Mahoto had allegedly strategically parked his getaway vehicle waiting for his accomplices. As soon as they got into the vehicle, Mahoto allegedly sped off and drove back to Bulawayo with the loot.

Ms Chipere said Mr Kadugure later noticed that the plastic bag was missing and reported the matter to the police.
Investigations led to the arrest of Mahoto and Mqawami.