Cephas Shava
MWENEZI – Desperate times call for desperate measures best describes the situation which a security guard, Wellington Taonezvi, at Rutenga Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has found himself in after he connived to steal 39 bags of maize from his work place.
Taonezvi who hatched the plan with two other accomplices Tichaona Dube and George Nhidza pleaded guilty to the charges when they were brought before Mwenezi magistrate Mandlenkosi Ndlovu.
They were each sentenced to 7 months imprisonment from which 4 months were conditionally suspended for 5 years. The remaining 3 months were set aside on condition that each pays a fine of $200.
Argued by prosecutor Caroline Pasipanodya, the State’s case was that on January 23, 2019 at around 1100 hours, the accused persons met at Rutenga growth point where they hatched a plan to steal maize at Rutenga GMB, where accused one, Taonezvi works as a security guard.
On the same day at around 2200 hours, while Taonezvi was on night duty at the GMB, the other two accused visited him and the three stole 39 x 50 kilogrammes bags of maize.
Dube and Nhidza then carried the stolen maize bags to the nearby bush where they were ferried away using Nhidza’s car.
The offence was discovered by other GMB guards who were assuming duty the following morning.
They informed the depot manager, Tawanda Masiyambiri, who then alerted the police leading to the arrest of the three accused person. The stolen maize bags with a net value of $600 were recovered from the accused persons.
