Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, Court Writer
THREE women from Bulawayo have landed themselves in trouble after conspiring with an armed robbery and murder suspect — who had been on the run for 15 years — to facilitate a change of his name and surname in a bid to evade arrest.
Sobala Ngwenya, Sibonginkosi Tshuma and Hilda Moyo appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Challenge Mahembe, charged with contravening the Birth and Death Registration Act (Chapter 5:02), which prohibits falsifying, counterfeiting, or causing to be falsified or counterfeited any register or entry therein.
The trio did not waste the court’s time, pleading guilty to the charges. They were remanded in custody to today (11 November 2025) for sentencing.
Prosecuting, Ms Brenda Ndlovu told the court that Justin Mpofu had been deported from South Africa, where he had been hiding for 15 years. He was wanted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in connection with murder and armed robbery charges.
“Mpofu was wanted by ZRP on allegations that he and his accomplices fatally shot Peter Sithole in 2010. Following the shooting, they stole R28, two speakers, two mobile phones and an amplifier from a bottle store. Mpofu had been hiding in South Africa and was deported earlier this year,” said Ms Ndlovu.
Upon his return, Mpofu devised a plan to avoid arrest. He approached Ngwenya and her co-accused to assist in changing his identity to Ryan Ncube. They charged him US$300 for the service.
“Moyo informed a Civil Registry official stationed at Nyamandlovu that she had known Mpofu since childhood and that his father, the late Justin Ncube, had died some years ago.
“They then bribed the Civil Registry official, and it was agreed that Mpofu’s age would be reduced during the processing of the new national identity card. Ngwenya posed as Mpofu’s mother and claimed that Ncube was her ex-husband,” Ms Ndlovu added.
The trio also approached a village head, Tswapi Mpofu of Village 6A Deli, Nyamandlovu, who allegedly confirmed in writing that the suspect was born in his village and was the son of the late Justin Ncube.
Their cover was blown when detectives from CID Homicide arrested Justin Mpofu, who was masquerading as Ryan Ncube and had obtained a forged national identity card under that name.
Upon interrogation, Mpofu confessed to fraudulently acquiring the identity card with the help of Ngwenya and her co-accused. The trio were subsequently arrested.
