By Paul Nyathi|Mystery surrounds Plumtree Police Station on how gold worth close to a million dollars and two fire arms vanished from the armoury at the police station.
ZimEye.com has been provided with a police outline of what could have happened to the gold with indications that the keys to the armoury were mysteriously duplicated.
The full outline by the police reads as follows:
MEMORANDUM
TO : COORDINATOR MBCU MAT SOUTH .
FROM : MBCU PLUMTREE
MEMO : /18
DATED : 15 AUGUST 2018
SUBJECT : BULILIMAMANGWE DISTRICT: THEFT OF GOLD: ZRP PLUMTREE.
This memo serves to inform you and put on record circumstances surrounding a case of theft of gold exhibit which occurred at ZRP Plumtree on the 15th day of August 2018.
On the 15th day of August 2018 at around 1100 hours, when number 981119H Chief Inspector Mangena noticed that two FN rifle serial numbers 7166 and 7167 which were booked in the charge office dairy were not there physically. She then enquired from number 045107D C/Insp Munasireyi whether number 042887Q Inspector Vhiyano he had left to him the keys to the armoury.
Chief Inspector Munasireyi responded by indicating that he will ascertain between the two keys which were left by Inspector Vhiyano to him when going for time off if one of them was for the armoury.
It was at this stage that Chief Inspector Munasireyi proceeded to the armoury intending to open the armoury. Upon arrival Chief Inspector Munasireyi observed that there was a key inserted on the key hole of the armoury door.
This was witnessed by Chief Inspector Mangena and number 045193X Sergeant Major Shumba. Sergeant Major Shumba then tested whether the door which was closed, was locked or not. It was discovered that the door was not locked. He then tried to remove the key which was left stuck in the key hole and he eventually removed it with difficulties.
Sergeant Major Shumba who had knowledge about the gold kept in the armoury as exhibit for MBCU Plumtree Exhibit number 08/15 proceeded to the bucket where the alleged gold weighing 28, 5297kg was kept wrapped in a khakhi paper discovered that the khakhi paper which was wrapping the gold was torn and the gold was missing .
However the khakhi papers were left in the bucket.
Chief Inspector Munasireyi then made a report which necessitated the attendance of the scene by CID Plumtree who then uplifted finger prints from the armoury door handle and took possession of the duplicated key which was purported to have been used to gain entry into the armoury to steal the alleged gold.
Total value stolen of the stolen gold is $970 009.80 and nothing was recovered.
Outstanding
Locating Inspector Vhiyano who was the last person to be in possession of the armoury keys.
To establish how the original key was duplicated.
To take stock of arms and ammunition.
Sending uplifted finger prints and those for elimination for procession to CID Scene of Crime, Bulawayo.
Investigations are in progress. ZRP Plumtree Report Received Book number 3421582 refers.
You will be apprised of any further development in due course.
MBCU PLUMTREE