malvernmugadzikwa
WILLIAM Boka, Kudakwashe Boka and Darlington Maruba have probably never heard the maxim that crime does not pay.
The three buffoons thought they could make a career out of robbing stranded motorists along the country’s highways.
They mainly targeted victims having car trouble on Mutare, Seke and Bulawayo highways. State prosecutor Loveit Muringwa recounted the gang’s criminal acts before Harare regional magistrate Mr Clever Tsikwa.
It was proved that on July 18, 2020, a motorist, Arthur Taruvinga, was driving home from central Harare when he ran out of fuel near the Sunway City Industrial area on Mutare Road.
As he waited for help from his uncle, a Good Samaritan stopped to lend him a hand.
But just as things were looking up, the gang suddenly emerged from the shadows and bludgeoned Taruvinga on the head before making off with a Star pistol, iPhone 5 and wallet. The same misfortune was to befall another victim, Phillip Mugayi, who found himself with a flat tyre on Chitungwiza Road.
As he waited for his son Tawanda, who was on his way to assist him, the trio pounced and threatened to shoot him if he did not unlock his doors. They resultantly stole US$260 from the victim. When Tawanda arrived, the gang shot at him, forcing him to speed off while they also made good their escape.
As is always the case, luck later ran out for the villains when detectives got wind of Maruba’s involvement in these ill-thought heists.
A well-coordinated raid by the Zimbabwe Republic Police Chitungwiza Canine Section led to Maruba’s capture, who sang like a canary and implicated his partners in crime.
The law naturally caught up with them.
William Boka, the mastermind of the robberies, earned himself a hefty 86-year sentence after he was convicted of 13 armed robbery charges and three charges of attempted murder.
His accomplice Maruba, who was convicted of seven counts of armed robbery, will spend 52 years behind bars.
However, rookie Kudakwashe Boka got off relatively lightly after being slapped with seven years in prison. For William, there is no coming back from this, as he is likely to spend the rest of his miserable life behind bars.
Online Reporter