adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
TWO notorious armed robbers who were arrested last year in connection with 26 robberies committed along the Beitbridge Masvingo highway, were each jailed for an effective 20 years yesterday.
The duo, who are believed to be part of a four-man gang which unleashed a reign of terror on motorists on a 40km radius along the Beitbridge–Masvingo and Beitbridge-Bulawayo highways, are expected to stand trial for murder at the High Court for allegedly killing a clearing agent who was in a parked car.
Taurai Gwande alias Tawanda Musekwa or Giant, 30, and Boniface Mushavati alias Moyo, were arrested in Mvuma and Masvingo on Christmas day last year following a tip off.
The other gang members Clive Shumba and Lehlohonolo Moyo were arrested in November in the border town and are also on trial on separate robbery charges.
Gwande and Mushavati were jointly charged with 26 counts of armed robbery but other cases were dropped after the complainants failed to show up in court on several occasions, leaving them with nine counts of armed robbery and one of murder.
Both Gwande and Mushavati had pleaded not guilty to the initial related five counts of armed robbery but magistrate Joseph Maveza convicted them due to overwhelming evidence.
They had initially been slapped with 30 years’ imprisonment but were left with 20 years after the magistrate conditionally suspended the other 10 for five years.
The two will have to stand trial again on Monday for the other four cases of armed robbery.
Prosecuting, Johannes Tlou said the gang committed the crimes between May 9 and December 19 last year.
He said in most cases the two drove donkeys onto the road resulting in motorists reducing speed to avoid hitting the animals.
They would then pierce the vehicles’ tyres with sharp objects to cause punctures and pounce on the victims as they came out to attend to the problem.
The gang targeted cash, groceries, cellphones, laptops and other electrical gadgets.
The court further heard that on December 19, Gwande and Mushavati allegedly killed a 29-year-old man who had been in the company of his girlfriend in a car parked near St Joseph Primary School in Beitbridge.
However, they ran out of luck on Christmas day when Gwande was arrested in Mvuma following a tip off. This led to the arrest of Mushavati and the recovery of the stolen goods in Masvingo.
Police recovered two axes, a machete, and some worksuits, iron bar, a torch which the gang used in committing the offences.
They also recovered seven solar panels, six amplifiers, six cellphones, two disco speakers, one generator, two solar batteries, an assortment of groceries and clothing items.
Online Reporter