Phone theft MP Mahlangu acquitted

HARARE – Deputy Minister of Youth Thamsanqa Mahlangu was on Monday found not guilty of stealing a cell phone belonging to self-styled war veteran, Joseph Chinotimba.

Mahlangu was acquitted together with his three co-accused, personal assistant Malvern Chadamoyo and Geraldine Phiri and Patience Nyoni.

Harare magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini said he failed to find any strong case brought by the state against the accused persons.

Jarabini said apart from the accused having admitted they had the phone; the state had nothing else to prove they had genuine intentions of permanently depriving the controversial war veterans’ leader of his mobile phone.

The magistrate further said all the seven state witnesses, who included Chinotimba himself; Youth Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Harare CID Law and Order’s Detective Inspector Henry Dowa based their evidence on hearsay while contradicting themselves in the process.

Mahlangu and his assistant attended a government seminar which was held at the Harare International Conference Centre on July 17.

Chinotimba alleged he lost his cell phone when he was having lunch with some of the delegates who included Mahlangu, Kasukuwere and ICT Minister Nelson Chamisa.

He further claimed an announcement was made by the master of ceremony on the loss of his cell phone but none among the delegates responded.
Thamsanqa Mahlangu

Deputy Minister Thamsanqa Mahlangu – not guilty

But Mahlangu said he was no longer at the venue when the announcement was made as he had excused himself to visit a government garage on other business.

On leaving the venue, Mahlangu’s assistant had mistakenly taken the phone together with his boss’s belongings thinking the phone belonged to Mahlangu whose phone is identical to that of Chinotimba.

They discovered their mistake later in the evening when they had left the venue during which Mahlangu instructed his assistant to take the phone back to the organisers of the conference.

But they were arrested before the phone could reach Chinotimba, who was adamant the MDC youth leader had real intentions of stealing the phone.

Jarabini said he was not convinced Mahlangu’s actions and those of his co-accused pointed to a group that had genuine intentions to permanently deprive Chinotimba of his phone. He therefore pronounced a “not guilty”, verdict, in a case that became the subject of sustained media debate, despite sub-judice rules.

Jarabini said Mahlangu demonstrated good intentions by approaching his boss Kasukuwere asking him to facilitate a meeting with Chinotimba so that he could explain how the phone landed in his hands.

Mahlangu, who looked pensive when Jarabini went through his lengthy judgement, was elated when the magistrate finally pronounced the verdict.

“I am happy about this judgement,” Mahlangu said.

“There was no case in the first instance. But as a law abiding citizen, I submitted myself to the due process and allowed the courts to do their work.”

Mahlangu said he does not have any hard feelings towards his accuser Chinotimba saying he “understood his character”.

“I understand how he behaves,” he said. “He is a clown. It was another case that involved a clown at it again.

“I am only worried that I was unnecessarily distracted from doing my work by the long trial. I am happy though that we still have court officials who know what they are doing.”

Chinotimba was not immediately available for comment, especially on whether he would pursue his $19 million civil suit for deprivation of cell phone to the alleged detriment of his business interests. Zimbabwe Times