Witness fails to turn up in Kebab trial

Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The trial of businessman and owner of Kebab Night Club Eddie Zviitwa and his four accomplices, who are accused of stealing $85 000, could not continue yesterday after a State witness failed to turn up.

The prosecutor Mr Ephraim Zinyandu told the court that the witness, Tonderai Moses Chakacha, failed to attend court despite efforts by the investigating officer to contact him.

Mr Zinyandu undertook to subpoena him.

The matter was remanded to August 2.

Zviitwa, Keegan Paul Blumears, Taurai Makata, Obey Chakacha and Tinashe Hakunavanhu are facing theft charges.

Mr Zinyandu alleged that on March 29 this year at around 9am, Taglan Hovsep went to Blumears’ house intending to buy a Hyundai excavator which Blumears alleged was coming from his friend’s mine.

Hovsep went with $85 000, the court heard.

When he got to Blumears’ house, Hovsep was told that the owner of the excavator was on his way.

He waited for more than two hours but Blumears told him to be patient saying the person would soon arrive.

Hovsep later gave up and decided to leave the house.

As he was reversing his vehicle, another vehicle – a Mercedes-Benz – suddenly blocked his way and three men got out of the vehicle.

They identified themselves as police detectives and one of them flashed an identification card, the State alleged.

They said they were looking for Hovsep, saying that they had been tracking him as he was on Interpol’s wanted list.

It is the State’s case that Blumears pointed at Hovsep and the detectives pounced on him.

The three men told him he was under arrest for dealing in drugs, minerals and supporting Team Lacoste.

One of them handcuffed him while others ransacked his vehicle and took the bag which contained $85 000.

They secretly placed some unknown drugs into his bag before accusing him of dealing in drugs as well.

While they were still at Blumears’ house, Zviitwa arrived.

He claimed to have come to help Hovsep so that he would not be deported or detained at the police station.

It is the State’s case that Zviitwa spoke to the said detectives and they removed the handcuffs from Hovsep’s hands.

The detectives took the $85 000, two mobile phones and a wallet.

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