admin
Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man linked to a syndicate that broke into several shops in the city’s industrial area and stole more than $70,000 has been sentenced to 13 years in jail.
Hezekia Moyo, 30, of Cowdray Park was convicted of eight counts of unlawful entry and theft by Bulawayo regional magistrate Mark Dzira.
Moyo will serve an effective 10 years in jail after three were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar crime.
Moyo had been on the run after committing the crimes in 2012 until his arrest sometime this year.
Since April 2012, they targeted service stations and shops in Belmont where the burglars destroyed rooftops to gain entry into the buildings.
In passing the sentence, Dzira said it was clear that Moyo and his accomplices who are still at large, pre-planned to commit the crimes.
“What’s aggravating is that you actually connived with your accomplices and broke into the complainants’ properties, stole huge amounts of money kept in their safes. It’s clear that you carefully planned and went to commit these crimes with precision,” said Dzira.
The magistrate said cases of unlawful entry and theft were on the increase, calling for deterrent sentences.
“Cases of unlawful entry and theft are on the rise in our country and this is a worrying trend. In most cases these crimes are committed while people will be asleep.
“As a first offender I’ll be lenient but that doesn’t mean that I’m trivialising the crime. The justice of this matter will be met by an effective 10 years imprisonment,” ruled Dzira.
Prosecuting, Tinashe Dzipe said between April and July 2012, Moyo connived with his accomplices and broke into six shops and two service stations in Belmont industrial area and stole money.
On April 5, 2012, shortly after 4PM, Lovemore Mafa, a sales manager at Hydraco (Pvt) Ltd secured the shop windows and locked doors.
The court heard that Moyo who was in the company of Dingilizwe Mloyi went to the shop and climbed onto the roof.
“They cut one zinc roofing sheet and created an opening which they used to gain entry into the shop,” said Dzipe.
The court heard that while inside, the two men stole a cashbox containing $4,000 and sneaked out unnoticed.
On the night of April 7, Moyo and Mloyi in the company of Norman Ngwenya and Mvelo Sibanda went to Classic Cars Service Station and found a security guard manning the premises.
They confronted the security guard and wrestled with him until they overpowered him.
“They covered his mouth with an adhesive tape and dragged him to a nearby bridge where they left one of them on guard while the others returned to the service station,” said Dzipe.
They used the same modus operandi to gain entry into the building and stole a cash box containing fuel coupons, $65,686 and R58,403 and fled.
On April 24, Moyo and his accomplices went to Matabeleland Tyres (Pvt) Ltd and stole a cash box with $631, a bath towel and an electric kettle.
“On July 19, Moyo, Sibanda and Mloyi descended on Food Centre in Nketa where they destroyed a ventilation window to gain entry and stole $196 and groceries worth $5,000 and fled.
Moyo, who was on the run for three years, was arrested early this year.
Online Reporter