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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
A REDCLIFF man who robbed a Redcliff Municipality employee of $6 and a cellphone has been found guilty by a Kwekwe magistrate and sentenced to a three-year jail term.
Bekithemba Bhebhe (20) of House Number 2 Jairos Jiri Street, Rutendo in Redcliff, who had initially pleaded not guilty, was convicted of robbing Siyafa Mapokotera while armed with a machete.
Kwekwe magistrate Mr Tayengwa Sangster, however, set aside 12 months leaving Bhebhe with two effective years to serve.
The State led by Mr Freddy Ndoro has it that on 24 October this year at about 10.30pm, Mapokotera, who is employed by Redcliff Municipality as a fire tender, was alone at the Redcliff Fire Station.
The State told the court that Bhebhe appeared from the darkness and headed straight to the complainant pretending as if he wanted assistance. He was wearing a dark work suit and he feigned illness.
Bhebhe asked Mapokotera if he could get ambulance services but before he could respond, Bhebhe produced a machete from the work suit he was wearing and used it to hit Mapokotera once on the face with its flat side and he fell down.
The court was told that Bhebhe threatened to cut him into pieces with the machete if he refused to comply with whatever he was going to demand. He demanded money from Mapokotera and out of fear, Mapokotera produced a wallet containing $6 and a cellphone, a J2 Samsung and gave it to him.
Bhebhe took the money from the wallet and the cellphone and disappeared into the darkness.
Mapokotera quickly made a police report at Redcliff Police Station.
The police dog section launched a manhunt leading to the arrest of Bhebhe who was arrested while drinking beer at a local nightclub.
Online Reporter