Online Reporter
Trish Mukwazo,[email protected]
TWO men have been convicted of robbing a woman of R137 000 as she walked home in Bulawayo’s Luveve suburb with her five-year-old child.
Silence Kwangwa (30) of Trenance suburb and Douglas Rizani (32) of Glenview in Harare were convicted of robbery last week by Bulawayo regional magistrate, Mrs Dambudzo Malunga.
The pair robbed Ms Noleen Mathuthu as she walked home after getting off a minibus near Chigumira shops in Luveve.
Kwangwa and Rizani will be sentenced today. In her verdict, Mrs Malunga said there was overwhelming evidence that the two committed the offence, along with others still at large, using violence against the victim. The offenders have pending cases in other courts.
Prosecutor, Mr Owen Mugari, said the two committed the offence on May 15, 2023.
Ms Mathuthu had closed her shop in Makokoba suburb and boarded a minibus at Engen Garage along Luveve Road.
“The complainant disembarked from the minibus at Chigumira shops and began walking home along a footpath, unaware that the accused persons were following her,” he said.
The court heard that one of the men grabbed Ms Mathuthu from behind and tripped her.
“One of the accused persons snatched the complainant’s bag, which contained R137 000, and ran back to join his accomplices in their Honda Fit getaway car, which was parked a few metres away,” Mr Mugari said.
Following investigations, the police apprehended the offenders. Kwangwa led police to the recovery of his Honda Fit, which was used as the getaway car. “The total value stolen is R137 000 and nothing was recovered,” Mr Mugari said.
In aggravation, Mr Mugari submitted that robbery is a serious and prevalent offence in Bulawayo, adding that the stolen money was a substantial amount and the victim had not recovered it.
He further told the court that the robbery took place in front of the victim’s five-year-old child.
“The offenders traumatised the victim and showed no remorse whatsoever,” Mr Mugari said.
