Moffat Mungazi
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A SCANDAL has rocked Mutasa District after a local man allegedly stole his neighbour’s wife’s undergarments in a bizarre incident that has left tongues wagging.
The stolen items, which include panties, bras, and petticoats, were allegedly taken from Taremekedzwa Kuodza’s home under the cover of darkness, sparking outrage and confusion in the Kuodza household.
Chief Mutasa’s community court addressed a peculiar case where Kuodza accused Robert Mtetwa and Phillip Dumbura of conspiring to steal his wife’s undergarments.
Kuodza demanded that the undergarments be surrendered back to him, fearing that they could be used for witchcraft against her and his family.
Kuodza recounted his ordeal before Chief Mutasa’s community court, stating; “The incident occurred during the night of November 8. I had returned home a few hours, having locked the door with my wife and child asleep inside. When I returned home, I was surprised to find the door open and a bag in the kitchen that I had left in the bedroom. The next morning, we discovered that my wife’s undergarments were missing. The following day, my wife informed me that Mtetwa had returned some of the stolen clothes, claiming he had picked them. However, when we questioned him about the location and how he knew the clothes belonged to my wife, he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation,” said Kuodza.
Kuodza’s decision to involve the traditional leadership in resolving the issue of the stolen undergarments led to a surprising confession from Mtetwa.
Initially, Mtetwa admitted to stealing the items, and claimed that he was sent by his friend, Phillip Dumbura. He allegedly stated that he handed the stolen goods to Dumbura.
However, during the court session, Mtetwa made a U-turn, denying all the allegations, and insisting on his innocence, despite his earlier confession.
Mtetwa revealed to the court that he had previously been arrested, charged, and convicted of theft in a magistrate’s court, for which he served a prison sentence.
However, he maintained his innocence, claiming that his earlier confession was coerced.
Mtetwa alleged that Kuodza and others had threatened him, prompting him to falsely confess and implicate Dumbura, as he panicked under pressure.
“I have already served jail time for this matter, but the truth is, I did not do anything wrong. When Kuodza and the others confronted me, they threatened me, and I felt I had no choice, but to confess. I did not know where the stolen items were, so I lied and said I had given them to Dumbura because I panicked under pressure.
“As for the clothes I returned to Kuodza’s wife, I had picked them up on a path near their home. I knew they belonged to them because of a hat that was in the bag, which Kuodza always wears. I thought I was doing the right thing by returning them, but somehow, I became the bad guy in the story,” he said.
Dumbura denied any involvement in the alleged theft and expressed confusion about being implicated.
He also distanced himself from Mtetwa, arguing that they were not friends.
Dumbura clarified that he and Mtetwa were merely acquaintances, not friends, and denied any involvement in the theft, stating that he was not in the area when the incident occurred.
“I do not understand how my name ended up being dragged into this. Mtetwa and I are not friends, we just know each other. I was not even in the area when the crime was committed. I was shocked when the police came to arrest me, accusing me of stealing the undergarments. However, the police later released me, but Mtetwa proceeded to court where he was convicted and served time behind bars,” he said.
Chief Mutasa, in his judgment, instructed Headman Medzani, to assist in resolving the matter and bring closure to the case, which has left the community divided and bewildered.
