Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent
Five men yesterday appeared in court for allegedly stealing gold ore at a mine shaft in Mashonaland East.
Rungano Musiiwa (46), Nomatter Mushore (50), Kurauone Chisango (41) Derick Mabande(47) and Sweetwell Nemukuyu(34) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi charged with theft of gold ore.
They were granted $50 000 bail.
The matter was remanded to June 7.
Prosecutor Mr Zebediah Bofu told the court that on April 12, at around 11pm, the accused persons connived and hatched a plan to steal from Nyamande Mining Syndicate Shaft through the shaft entrance at Munyukwa Chibanda syndicate.
The two mines share the same boundary where there is an underground tunnel which trespasses through the two mines.
The accused persons, who were aware that Nyamande Mining Syndicate security guards were patrolling at their mine surface premises, entered into the underground shaft and trespassed into Nyamande Mine where they stole 30 x 10 kilogrammes of empty sacks.
They loaded them with gold ore.
The accused persons were seen by the security guards and police officers deployed at Nyamande Mine leading to their arrest and the recovery of 30 x 10 kg of mealie meal sacks loaded with stolen gold ore.
The total value of the stolen ore is yet to be ascertained.