Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
TWO men suspected to be part of a syndicate targeting taxi operators have been sentenced to a combined 36 years in prison after hijacking two Honda Fit vehicles in Gwanda.
Anele Ncube (24) of Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, and Ayibongwe Mathema (23) of Gwanda pleaded guilty to robbery when they appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate Mrs Sithembiso Ndebele.
Ncube also appeared separately for an additional robbery charge. For both offences, he was handed a combined 24 year prison term, while Mathema received 12 years.
Prosecutor Mr Ngonidzashe Shumba told the court that on 8 March, Ncube and Mathema attacked Mr Mandlenkosi Moyo, stealing his Honda Fit, cash and mobile phone.
“On the 8 March 2026 at around 8PM, and at Redcross business centre, Gwanda, the accused persons and their accomplice who is still at large stopped the complainant who was driving his white Honda fit vehicle and requested to hire his vehicle to Skimo Lodge pretending as if they wanted to go and collect their colleagues.
“The complainant agreed, ferried the accused persons and drove heading to Skimo lodge. When they were a few metres from the lodge, the accused persons instructed the complainant to stop the vehicle saying that their friends would come to them,” he said.
Mr Shumba said Mathema, who was seated behind the complainant, grabbed him by the neck and drew a knife from his trousers pocket. The complainant attempted to block it but was slightly stabbed on the fingers.
Mathema then handed the knife to Ncube, who stabbed the complainant three times on the left hip and once on the left thigh.
Mr Shumba said the pair tied the complainant’s hands and legs, placed him on the back seat, and drove towards Bulawayo.
Along the way, they stopped the vehicle, pulled the complainant out, and fled with the car worth US$4 500, US$28 cash and R150. The complainant managed to free himself and sought help.
A police report was filed, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the recovery of the stolen vehicle.
In another incident, Ncube — together with an accomplice still at large — attacked Mr Bayanda Moyo on 5 March and fled with his Honda Fit, cash and mobile phone.
“On the 5 March 2026 at around 10PM Ncube and his accomplice Makhosi Ngwenya who is at large, approached the complainant who was seated in his silver Honda fit vehicle at Famous bar, Gwanda. The accused and his accomplice pretended to hire the complainant’s vehicle to Bina Mine to collect their families.
“Along the way one of the accused persons asked the complainant to stop the vehicle citing that he wanted to make a phone call and the complainant complied and the accused disembarked the vehicle attending to his phone call. Later on, the accomplice who had remained in the car also disembarked from the vehicle and approached the complainant, grabbed him by the neck and strangled him,” Mr Shumba said.
The complainant managed to escape, leaving behind his vehicle and belongings. Ncube and his accomplice drove off towards Bulawayo but later abandoned the vehicle after it developed a mechanical fault.
The matter was reported to the police, resulting in the recovery of the vehicle and the complainant’s mobile phone.
Police in Matabeleland South have since launched an awareness campaign following a spate of Honda Fit and Fun Cargo thefts involving taxi operators in Gwanda District. Motorists are being urged to exercise caution, as suspects are using fake hire requests to lure drivers before attacking them. — @DubeMatutu
