A Harare street car washer has been sentenced to 210 hours of community service after pleading guilty to stealing a cellphone and cash from the belongings of a deceased police officer during transportation for burial.
Tobias Cheuka (32) was convicted of theft by Harare magistrate Nyaradzo Manokore.
The court heard that on March 3, 2026, at around 9am, Detective Assistant Inspector George Pfidze gathered personal property belonging to the late Detective Constable Chitsowe Makenzie.
The items included a black wallet containing US$30, a police identity card, national identity card, a Samsung Galaxy A16 cellphone, a police notebook and other personal belongings.
The property was placed in a plastic bag and entrusted to another detective officer responsible for transporting it in a silver Toyota Hiace to Rice Village under Chief Chiswiti in Mt Darwin District for the burial of the late officer. The belongings were intended to be handed over to the deceased’s family.
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Cheuka, together with the detective officer and other mourners, boarded the vehicle travelling to Mt Darwin.
During the journey, Cheuka allegedly stole the Samsung Galaxy A16 cellphone and US$10 cash from the plastic bag before concealing the items.
Upon arrival in Mt Darwin, the detective officer handed over the property to the deceased’s relatives and discovered that the cellphone and cash were missing, prompting a police report and subsequent investigations.
On May 6, 2026, investigations revealed that the stolen cellphone was being used by Cheuka. Detectives tracked him to the ZRP Harare Central car park, where he was arrested and the cellphone recovered.
The stolen property was valued at US$210, with the recovered cellphone worth US$200.
The complainant in the matter is Detective Constable Chiramba (36), stationed at CID Homicide in Harare.
Cheuka was initially sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment. Six months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, while the remaining four months were suspended on condition that he performs 210 hours of community service.
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