By Meditation Mposi
A dramatic shift from rags to riches ended in handcuffs for a 24 year old man, exposed by vigilant neighbors who sensed something amiss in the stunning transformation when a previously struggling neighbor suddenly bought a car and began building a house.
The neighbors alerted the police leading to the arrest of the alleged thief solving an outstanding theft of cash from a Fawcett Cash in transit vehicle after the suspect was offered a lift from Beitbridge to Mwenezi.
Masvingo Acting Provincial Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Masauso Patinyu confirmed the arrest and applauded the public for supplying information which led to the arrest.
“I confirm the arrest of Kelvin Chisandako (24) of Mangawo Village Chief Mawarire in Mwenezi who stole a cash box with US$20 000 from the Fawcett cash in transit vehicle on October 6.
“I want to commend members of the public for supplying information which led to the arrest of the suspect and urge them to continue supporting the police in fighting crime,” said Patinyu.
Circumstances are that on October 16 at around 1300hours a Fawcett Security Company crew of Nyambi (54), Brian Matsena (30), Tapiwa Confidence (27) and Chipfunde Jephita (42) was transporting cash from Fawcett Company Office Beitbridge to Mutare.
Upon arriving at Lutumba Service Centre the crew picked Chisandako and an unknown woman at Machiloni in Beitbridge. They were made to sit on the loading box and Chisandako was dropped at Rutenga and the woman at Ngundu.
While at Ngundu the Fawcett crew noticed that the cash box was missing and they drove back to Rutenga Police Post where they reported the matter.
CID Mwenezi took over the case and the Fawcett crew was held suspects and were detained at Mwenezi Police Station.
On November 3, the police received information that Chisandako was in possession of a huge amount of United States Dollars (USD) and there was a suspicion that he might have stolen the money.
Police went to his home, interviewed him and he confirmed having stolen the money and bought a green Toyota Aqua worth US$4 900. He had also bought 30 by 12 feet I B.R roofing sheets, 35 bags of cement, 7 window frames, four French doors, 15 000 farm bricks, a smart phone and three suits.
Police recovered the car, US$600 cash, R2 320, 30 bags of cement and the three suits. An empty cashbox was found in a small pit behind his house. The rest had been used to build a house.
