Man to hang over Ngundu shooting

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A 26-YEAR-OLD Mozambican national has been sentenced to death for the murder of a currency exchange dealer at Ngundu Business Centre in Masvingo.
Isaac Mlambo shot and killed Trust Tapera Chimbaya after robbing him of $428 on December 13 last year.
Justice Francis Bere, sitting at the High Court in Masvingo on Thursday, said Mlambo – who denied murder, pinning the crime on an accomplice who evaded arrest – did not deserve to live.

The judge said the fact that Mlambo killed Chimbaya after he had surrendered the money made his crime unpardonable.
“You killed your victim under aggravated circumstances. You acted unreasonably in the circumstances by shooting Chimbaya when he had surrendered the money which he thought you wanted from him. You don’t deserve to remain in society with peace loving people,” said Justice Bere.

Mlambo, who pleaded his innocence, admitted that he was at Ngundu when the crime was committed but insisted that it was his accomplice who pulled the trigger.
“The witnesses could’ve seen me at Nyaningwe (Ngundu), but I’m not the one who had a gun. My accomplice who is at large is the one who had a gun and shot the late.
“I had no knowledge that he had a gun in his possession,” said Mlambo through his lawyer, Charles Ndlovu.

Chimbaya, a foreign currency dealer and airtime recharge cards vendor, was conducting business at Nyaningwe Supermarket at Ngundu Growth Point shortly after 7.30AM on December 13 last year when Mlambo and a second man approached.

The two men, who were both armed according to prosecutors, started shooting in the air sending Chimbaya and his workmates scurrying for cover.
Mlambo gave chase and caught up with Chimbaya who had a small bag in his right hand. Chimbaya, the court heard, surrendered the bag which had money and his merchandise.

Mlambo ordered Chimbaya to also surrender money that he had in his pockets and he complied. But as Chimbaya was emptying his pockets of cash, Mlambo opened fire and shot him, said Elson Chavarika, prosecuting.

Mlambo was apprehended by members of the public who gave chase, tripped him to the ground before disarming him and effecting a citizen’s arrest.