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A CHIPINGE mbanje “couple” was jailed for 15 years for kidnapping a Mozambican national after a drug smuggling deal turned sour. The duo, Joyce Mlambo (31) and her husband, Darlington Sigauke (45), appeared before Chipinge magistrate Mr Noah Gwatidzo on Monday who convicted them after a full trial.
All the five witnesses who testified in court gave incriminating evidence against them.
Mr Gwatidzo sentenced each to 10 years for unlawfully dealing in dangerous drugs, while five years were imposed for kidnapping a Mozambican mbanje peddler and her son.
However, the two will serve an effective 10-year jail terms after both sentences were made to run concurrently.
Prosecuting, Mr Brian Madzura told the court that the crimes were committed on August 25 and 26 this year.
“On August 25, at Zamuchiya Village in Chipinge, the two suspects connived and hatched a plan to buy mbanje from Mozambique. They drove their Honda Fit vehicle (ABH 8969) and illegally crossed into Mozambique. They then bought seven buckets of mbanje from Saul Dhomba, who is Lina Mutumwa’s husband.
“They placed the mbanje in their vehicle. However, on their way to the vehicle, the accused persons were intercepted by five Mozambican nationals who assaulted Joyce alleging that she had informed the police that they were selling mbanje. They later drove back to Zimbabwe,” he said.
On the same day at around 8pm, Mlambo and Sigauke teamed up with five men and went back to Dhomba’s homestead.
“When they failed to locate him, they went on to force-open the door of a bedroom in which his wife, Lina, was sleeping together with her two-year-old son. While inside they demanded cash from her saying her husband had caused Joyce’s assault. They searched the house and took five buckets of mbanje.
“They also forced Lina and her son to get into their vehicle and drove them to Chipinge. Police detectives received a tip-off and arrested Mlambo and Sigauke who were found in possession of 82kg of the illegal drug,” he said.
Online Reporter