Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
Businessman Wicknell Chivayo lost various clothing items and 30 pairs of shoes worth thousands of dollars to thieves who broke into his house in Ballantyne Park, Harare.
One of the suspects, Ignatius Magaya (40) of Mufakose, has since been arrested in connection with the matter.
Magaya is also facing 10 more counts of unlawful entry after he broke into houses of other people and stole various electrical gadgets and goods worth over $60 000 in April this year.
Some of the stolen property was recovered at Magaya’s farm in Kutama and when he was arrested, he was wearing Chivayo’s pair of shoes.
Magaya yesterday appeared before Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe facing 11 counts of unlawful entry. The prosecutor Mr Peter Kachirika, opposed bail and Mr Chikwekwe remanded him in custody to tomorrow for bail application. Magaya is being represented by Mr Lucky Mauwa of Mauwa and Associates. It is the State’s case that the offences were committed between October 2015 and June this year.
Magaya of Block 22, Mufakose, Harare reportedly scaled over precast walls of the complainants before using an iron bar to gain entry into the houses. On April 10 Magaya allegedly gained entry into Chivayo’s premises at around 2am and forced open the dining room door.
He then got into the house and stole clothes and several pairs of shoes.
It is alleged that on September 30, last year, Magaya smashed the garage window to gain entry into Michael Cain’s garage where he stole 20 litres of diesel, battery charger, chain saw and grass cutter.
On October 21 Magaya reportedly stole an Ipad, laptop, shoes and clothes from Musa Gumede in Greendale.
Using the same method, Magaya, the court heard, stole various household items from other complainants. Detectives received information that led to his arrest.
Nine plasma television sets and 30 pairs of shoes were among the recovered items.