Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
TELONE loss control officer, Penelock Majonhi (47), who was accused of stealing recovered telecommunications cables from his employer, was recently acquitted because of lack of evidence linking him to any wrongdoing.
Majonhi was facing charges relating to contravening the Postal and Telecommunications Act, Criminal Abuse of Duty as a Public Officer, and supplying false information to a public authority.
During the course of the trial, the court heard that on December 11, 2024, Majonhi reported for duty at the TelOne Main Exchange in Harare.
He was accompanied by two Seasec Security Company guards, Obvious Munyaradzi Kuwapfaira and Marshal Sithole.
Constable Elliot Mazango, assigned to TelOne duties, later joined the team for patrols in various areas, including Southerton, Glen Norah, Glen View, Kuwadzana, and Warren Park.
At approximately 12.30am, while driving along Remembrance Drive in Mbare, the team noticed two men walking along the road, one carrying a sack.
Majonhi stopped the vehicle, and Kuwapfaira and Sithole approached the suspects.
One suspect escaped while the other, identified as Crainos Tagwirei, was apprehended.
A search on Tagwirei revealed tools such as a shovel, pick, hacksaw, knife, and empty sacks, but nothing incriminating was found.
Tagwirei claimed he had been working at a house in Westlea owned by a Mr Shumba.
However, inquiries at the alleged address found no one by that name.
It is alleged that Majonhi instructed Kuwapfaira to plant a piece of TelOne drop wire in Tagwirei’s possession.
Kuwapfaira reportedly retrieved a small bundle of TelOne cable from the vehicle and placed it in Tagwirei’s sack in full view of Constable Mazango.
Majonhi took videos and photos during this staged search, falsely presenting the drop wire as evidence of theft.
Constable Mazango questioned Majonhi’s actions, leading to a dispute among the team as they returned to the city.
Instead of reporting the incident to the nearest police station, Majonhi allegedly drove to the TelOne Main Exchange, where he ordered Constable Mazango to disembark.
He assured Constable Mazango that he would release Tagwirei where they had picked him.
Contrary to his assurances, Majonhi made a false report to CID Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit (MFFU) Harare, accusing Tagwirei of violating the Postal and Telecommunications Act, leading to Tagwirei’s wrongful detention.
During the subsequent investigation, detectives from CID MFFU Harare discovered that Majonhi had fabricated the report and had no lawful authority to possess TelOne drop wire or to act in the manner he did.
These findings resulted in Majonhi’s arrest.
However, in his ruling at the end of the trial, Harare magistrate, Feresi Chakanyuka said: “It is this court’s view that the State has failed to prove its case beyond any reasonable doubt. There was no evidence led to the effect that the accused person had in possession of a 5m TelOne drop wire, and that he gave instructions to a Munyaradzi Kuwapfaira to plant the cable in Crainos Tagwirei’s sack.
“There is no evidence that the accused person abused his duty. In any event the court will not delve into the academic argument as to whether the accused person as a public officer as indicated in the State papers.
“Further, there is no evidence that the accused person deliberately supplied false information to the police that Crainos Tagwirei had in his possession 5m TelOne drop wire. Accordingly, accused person be and hereby found not guilty and acquitted in respect to Counts one, two and the alternative charge.”
Kudakwashe Muza prosecuted.
