LIMPOPO MIRROR
6 30 March 2012 By Mashudu Netsianda
Six suspected copper wire smugglers in Zim court Six Beit Bridge men, among them two police officers, who were arrested for allegedly attempting to rob suspected copper smugglers of stolen cables worth US$18 000, have appeared in court. The accused persons were arrested after a shoot-out with police, which resulted in one of them, Joshua Muzunwa, being shot dead. Ogen Chiuka (32) and Koshesai Gweje (23), both police officers, Admit Nyamhamba (35), Gracious Mahla (38), Runesu Manyange (36), and Austin Manyange (34), all of Dulibadzimu suburb in the border town, were not asked to plead to charges of attempted robbery and theft when they appeared before a local magistrate, Miss Gloria Takundwa. The case was postponed to 4 April and the accused remain in custody. The prosecutor, Mr Reason Mutimba, said that on 13 March, the two complainants, Tawanda Mapeta and Maria Tinago,
both of Harare, hired a haulage truck, so that it could ferry 1.8 tonnes of stolen copper from Harare to Beit Bridge, from where it would then be smuggled into South Africa. On arrival at Beit Bridge Border Post, the truck driver learnt that the truck would go through the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s scanners for examination. He then got cold feet and notified the owners. They hired three men to help facilitate smuggling the loot through an undesignated entry point along the Limpopo River. The truck driver and three men who were hired then drove to a bushy area along the Beit Bridge-Bulawayo road where they allegedly offloaded the contraband. The driver then drove back to Harare, on the understanding that the trio would smuggle the consignment into South Africa. The accused persons allegedly got information about the hidden copper through
one of the men assigned to smuggle out the loot and allegedly connived to go and steal it after having negotiated with a buyer identified as Joice Moyo of Dulibadzimu suburb in the border town. Mutimba further said that Nyamhamba, Mahla and Manyange drove to the area where the copper had been offloaded. They later informed Chiuka and Gweje in order to beef up their team and the two men arrived at the spot in a Toyota Corsa. The six men then hired a truck to transport the contraband. When the group went to collect the copper cables, little did they know that police had already ambushed them after they had received a tip-off. The court heard that police fired a warning shot. Chiuka, who was armed with a CZ pistol, returned fire, resulting in an exchange of fire during which Muzunwa was shot dead. The accused persons were arrested and the stolen copper cables were recovered.
By Elmon Tshikhudo Members of the Thohoyandou Police acted on a tip-off on Monday and arrested a 19-year-old suspect at a filling station in Thohoyandou. The suspect, who was about to board a taxi, was found with four bags full of illegal cigarettes, believed to be of Zimbabwean origin. In the picture are some of the illegal cigarettes and the police officers who effected the arrest, Student Constable Mashudu Promise Magada (left) and W/O Avhashoni Calson Matshusa. Thohoyandou police spokeswoman Constable Avhafarei Tshiovhe warned would-be dealers to regard the Thohoyandou policing area as a no-go area as they will be arrested.
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IDC opens new regional office in Thohoyandou The Independent Development Corporation’s acting Limpopo regional manager, Mr David Mcgluwa, has urged the communities of Vhembe to make use of the nearly R100 billion put aside by the organisation for economic development. The recent opening of the satellite office in Vhembe was hailed as a major boost for the fight against unemployment in the Vhembe District. The office, situated in Thohoyandou, will give local people a chance to access money for their
businesses. Opening the office in Thohoyandou for the community of Vhembe, IDC regional manager in Limpopo David Mcgluwa said the IDC realised that it was difficult for the people of Vhembe to submit business plans in Polokwane. “We have put aside more than R100 billion over five years, which is R20 billion per year and applications are on a first-come-first-served basis,” said Mcgluwa. He added that during the past six
months they had extended their footprint by opening satellite offices in Tzaneen and Groblersdal. According to him, Vhembe is home to agriculture and tourism and the IDC will help to get many businesses off the ground. Cllr Dorcus Mboyi, who represented the Vhembe District, expressed the hope that their partnership will be able “to give relief to our people in the district who are trapped in poverty.”
By Peter Muthambi
Killed in accident
A 22-year-old man died, after a car he was travelling in allegedly overturned and rolled several times before it eventually stopped. The incident happened at Hamusekwa Pfumembe in the Nzhelele area last Sunday. Mr Mashudu Hangwani died at the scene of the accident. Six other people who were in the car and who were injured during the incident, were taken to Siloam Hospital for treatment. The spokesperson for the Mphephu police, W/O Lazarus Netshidzati, said that the police had opened a case of culpable homicide, following the incident. “It is not yet known what exactly had happened and we are busy conducting investigations in this regard,” said Netshidzati. Netshidzati said that the incident happened at 17:30. According to him, Hangwani’s body was taken to Tshilidzini Hospital for a postmortem.
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The Independent Development Corporation´s David McGluwa and Vhembe councillor Dorcas Mmboyi were all smiles during the launch of the IDC office in Vhembe.
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