HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s driver stole a mobile phone given to the Zanu PF leader as a gift during a field day held at his Kwekwe farm on March 12, a court heard on Tuesday.
Chamunorwa Tapa, 45, was not asked to plead to a charge of theft during a brief appearance before Harare magistrate Joy Chikodzore. He was freed after posting bail.
Court documents show that Simbarashe Mangezi, the district intelligence officer for Harare Central, is the complainant.
Prosecuting, Francesca Mukumbiri said Mnangagwa received various gifts from individuals and companies that attended a guided tour of his Precabe Farm.
Among those gifts was an Itel A56 mobile phone with a value of US$100.
A day later, at Zimbabwe House in Harare, a reconciliation of the gifts was conducted and it was discovered that the phone – which Mnangagwa was yet to use – was missing.
Investigations led to Tapa’s arrest on March 23 at State House.
“The accused then led police detectives to the recovery of the stolen phone from his son, Jonathan Magaya, at a house on Dumukwa Street in New Mabvuku, Harare,” said Mukumbiri.
Mangezi, the prosecution says, positively identified the stolen phone though its IMEI number.
