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Herald Reporter
Primary and Secondary School Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora last Thursday withdrew theft charges against his former maid who allegedly stole his three laptops valued at $1 800 citing that he had a busy schedule as a Government Minister to attend court. Ivy Tandi (22) was facing theft charges. In an affidavit submitted to the court by police officers, the minister said he had no time to attend court for trial proceedings.

“I now wish to have charges against the accused withdrawn since I have a very busy schedule as a Government Minister and cannot be able to attend court for trial proceedings. “It is my humble wish that the charges be withdrawn at court through my own insistence without any due influence,” reads the affidavit.

Harare magistrate, Mr Batanai Madzingira, withdrew the case against Tandi.

Prosecutor Mrs Stylon Marufu alleged that on an unknown date to the State and on different occasions during the month of November last year, Tandi took advantage of the absence of Dr Dokora and entered the dining room. The court heard that while inside the room Tandi allegedly stole a Lenovo Think-Pad laptop computer that was on the table and hid it in her laptop bag to avoid detection by security personnel manning the premises.

It is alleged that Tandi took away the laptop and went on to sell it.

Mrs Marufu told the court that Tandi further stole two laptops an Acer and HP models from the spare bedroom used by the Minister’s daughters that she also hid in her laptop bag before taking them away and sold them.

The court heard that Minister Dokora later discovered the offence on January 9 this year, when his two daughters wanted to take the laptops with them to school.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Tandi’s arrest.