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Mashonaland Central Bureau

Zanu PF Central Committee member Cde Maideyi Maswi recently lost 28 tonnes of maize worth $448 000 to three of her workers at her Ealing Farm in Mvurwi.

Lovemore Lovemore (25), Frank Vhonyera (29) and Charles Gomo (21) appeared before Guruve magistrate Mr Shingirai Mutiro facing theft charges and were remanded in custody to June 11.

It is alleged that on May 25 this year at around 9pm, Cde Maswi received an anonymous call informing her that the accused were stealing maize in her field.

She immediately went to the farm and saw a group of people in her maize field.

She rushed to Mvurwi police station who quickly dispatched some officers.

When the officers arrived at the scene the thieves ran away in different directions, but they managed to arrest Vhonyera and Gomo.

Lovemore was arrested after he ran to his homestead. Police officers followed him to his house and he tried to attack them with a machete.

The police recovered two by 90 kg bags of maize in his house. In a separate case before the same magistrate, Obvious Muvezwa (29) of Muzarabani area under Chief Kasekete was sentenced to an effective four years in prison for stealing 40 sheep worth US$6 000 in Muzarabani.

The state proved that on April 25 this year Muvezwa and two others who are still at large hired a truck and stole 40 sheep belonging to Patricia Chikore in Kabvudzaruwa village while they were grazing.

Muvezwa proceeded to Muzarabani police station where he obtained stock and veterinary clearance for sheep.

He took 23 of the sheep to Harare for resale. However, he was arrested in Tynwald South, Harare after a tip off.