Chief magistrate defends ‘ED laptop thieves’ bail 

Source: Chief magistrate defends ‘ED laptop thieves’ bail – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA

CHIEF Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi has said the daring thieves who stole a copy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 2020 Independence Day speech and a laptop were granted bail because warrants of arrest against them were not on the docket.

The thieves have so far skipped bail after they were remanded to April 22 by Kwekwe magistrate Cheryl Tembo. This sent tongues wagging with others alleging underhand dealings and corruption.

Trymore Jakarasi (35) of Pumula North in Bulawayo, and Shepherd Madaka (29) of Budiriro 3, Harare, were granted $5 000 bail each when they initially appeared before the courts.

Their alleged accomplice, Tinashe Matete Dube (27), of Glen View 3 in Harare, who is currently admitted at Gweru General Hospital after he was moved from Kwekwe General Hospital, was remanded in custody.

Dube is facing an attempted murder charge after he tried to run over police sergeant Misheck Mubika when the suspected thieves were cornered at Cooler Box Bottlestore in Kwekwe.

The three were part of a four-member gang which was on the police “wanted list” for stealing a laptop and Mnangagwa’s speech from one of his security aides.

According to Mutevedzi, it was not mentioned that the gang was on the Criminal Investigations Department Masvingo’s “most wanted list” for theft from cars under case number CR17/06/2020.

He also said it was also not mentioned in court that the notorious gang was reported at Dzivarasekwa Police Station, Harare, under case number CR155/04/20.

“When I first heard that the gang was granted bail under unclear circumstances, I immediately launched investigations on the matter. After the probe, I discovered that the warrants of arrest were not on the docket, neither were they mentioned in court,” he said.

“I want to make this clear to every Zimbabwean that under the free Zimbabwe, everyone is entitled to bail. It doesn’t mean that if someone is granted bail, he or she has been found not guilty.”