Hazel Marimbiza
TWO police officers have been arrested for stealing 330 millilitres of beer worth US$1,50 from a supermarket in Fort Rixon.
The issue came out when Tawanda Chanyau (33) and Reagan Sibanda (31), who reside at ZRP Fort Rixon Police Station, appeared before magistrate Rachel Mukanga charged with theft.
The two officers pleaded guilty to the charge and begged for forgiveness, saying they feared the incident would cost them their jobs.
Mukanga warned, cautioned and discharged them.
Allegations are that on April 11, 2021, at around 3.30pm Reagan and Chanyau were at Pioneer Block section business centre, Fort Rixon, drinking beer when they got into Cover Supermarket under the pretext of shopping.
They took a considerable time at the fridge which caused the till operator and security guard to be suspicious and be on the lookout for the two.
Chanyau took one 300 millilitre bottle of Hunters Gold cider, hid it in his right leg socks and covered it with his blue jean trousers.
He then proceeded to the till counter where Reagan had presented to the till operator two quarts of Black Label beer pretending he wanted to pay.
The two then pretended as if they were having a misunderstanding. They started shouting and pushing each other.
Reagan then pushed Chanyau out of the supermarket facilitating his escape out of the shop unsearched. He then left the two quarts of Black Label beer he had at the till and followed Chanyau.
The security guard advised the till operator that he suspected the two had stolen something and the till operator also alerted the manager, Melody Sibanda.
Melody and the till operator then followed Chanyau and Reagan and found them drinking Hunters Gold beer behind the supermarket. The two were asked to produce proof of payment since Cover Supermarket was the only one with
Hunters Gold at the business centre and they could not provide the proof. They were asked to pay for the beer and they refused.
Melody filed a report of shoplifting leading to Reagan and Chanyau’s arrest and their appearance in court.
