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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A 31-YEAR-OLD man, part of a gang believed to target cross-border travellers from Zimbabwe and rob them at gunpoint in South Africa, has been sentenced to an effective 10 years in prison by a Beitbridge regional court.
Nomore Shava, of no fixed abode in Beitbridge, was recently arrested after robbing a Beitbridge woman at gunpoint of her car, two mobile phones, and R6 000 while acting in concert with two accomplices who remain at large.
The victim had just arrived to visit a relative in Musina, South Africa, when Shava and his accomplices ambushed her, armed with a pistol.
Although Shava denied the armed robbery charge, Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa convicted him on Friday, relying on the strength of the State’s evidence.
Shava was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but Ms Maphosa conditionally suspended two years of the sentence for five years, leaving him with an effective 10 years to serve.
Prosecutor Mr Willbrought Muleya told the court that on 5 November this year, the complainant had travelled to Musina in her Toyota RunX to visit a relative around 3 am. Upon disembarking from her vehicle, Shava and his accomplices emerged from the darkness, brandishing a pistol, and robbed her of two mobile phones, car keys, and R6 000 — items valued at R66 000 in total.
The matter was reported to police in Musina, and the complainant returned to Beitbridge, where she conducted a SIM swap and traced her stolen phone to a local dealer in Dulivhadzimu.
Teaming up with other mobile phone dealers, the victim located the stolen phones with a man who had been given them by Shava to sell on his behalf.
An ambush was subsequently organised, and police arrested Shava when he arrived to collect his money from the phone dealer. The stolen mobile phones were also recovered.
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