Daring robbers steal Mugabe's farm equipment

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By Clemence Manyukwe

DARING thieves entered President Robert Mugabe’s rural homestead in Zvimba communal lands recently and stole irrigation equipment believed to be worth millions.

The incident reportedly occurred on the night of September 21, but was only discovered the following day by a guard. The President was not at the homestead when the theft took place.

Government spokesperson, George Charamba confirmed the theft, but said he would only provide more details after liaising with the police on progress made so far during investigations.

Said Charamba last Sunday: “I’ll give you more details about that incident tomorrow. You should be patient. You are the only person who is following that story, otherwise I could have given it to The Herald.”

Contacted for comment, police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena referred all questions back to the Department of Information and Publicity in the Office of the President and Cabinet.

“Talk to the Department of Information. As police we do not comment on issues involving the Presidency to the press, even if they are of a criminal nature.”

Efforts to press Charamba for more information on the matter proved fruitless.
On Monday, Charamba said he was busy with the State visit of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and therefore could not comment.

He only said: “Don’t call me. I will come back to you over the story. If I fail to do so, know that I would be engaged with the President.”

On Tuesday he said: “I’ll get back to you.” He never did.

The following day, Charamba said: “l am busy with the Chimoio Bash. I will come back to you.” That was the last thing he said on the day.
More efforts to get comment from him were fruitless yesterday.

However, sources said, on the night in question, unidentified people entered the President’s homestead next to Kutama Mission and walked away with irrigation equipment believed to have been used for the Zimbabwean leader’s wheat crop.

Security staff on duty that night reportedly failed to detect the breach of security. A guard discovered the crime the following day after he noticed unusual footprints in the yard.

The footprints led him to where the equipment had been stored, only to discover that it had since vanished.

The source said a large-scale search in the vicinity was launched, with roadblocks leading to and from the President’s homestead being mounted for two days.

However, the source said the search was fruitless.

“The guards were at a loss as to how the equipment was stolen. They were puzzled. What they could only do was mount searches the following day. The initial thinking was that the thieves could have hidden the equipment nearby and would later return to collect it, but the non-recovery led the police to think otherwise.”

The source added that at the roadblock everyone, including those close to the First family, was searched. Although this is not the first time the President has fallen prey to thieves, the breach at his homestead, which he visits regularly, has exposed a laxity by security officers.
Daily Mirror
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