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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Members of a four-men gang that was part of an armed robbers’ racket terrorising people around Beitbridge has been jailed for an effective 12 years each for robbing a taxi driver of R2250 and an assortment of goods.
Tawanda Chibwaure (33), Alex Simango (46), Humbulani Madhuma (42) and Danisa Mudhenda are pounced on the taxi driver they had hired near the local country club in October last year.
The gang was armed with two pistols.
They denied a joint charge of robbery, but Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Mr Innocent Bepura convicted them on the strength of the State’s evidence.
Prosecuting, Miss Tsitsi Mtukwa told the court that on October 8 last year, the complainant was driving a silver Honda Fit that he used as a taxi when he was hired by the four men at Engen Service Station at around 10pm.
The gang pretended to be genuine commuters claiming that they were heading to the local regional court and they paid R40 as requested by the complainant.
Upon reaching the regional court, they asked to be dropped just behind the district country club, where they later drew two pistols and robbed the man of R750 cash and a wrist watch.
They bundled him into the car and beat him up demanding more money.
They later drove to his house and force-marched him at gun point to collect more money from his house and they got R1500.
While at the house, they ransacked it and went when they were convinced they had taken all his money.
They then drove to the district country club where they dumped the taxi driver and his vehicle before disappearing into the nearby bush.
The matter was reported to the police who arrested Chibwaure on October 23 while heading to South Africa through an illegal entry point while carrying an assortment of ammunition.
Further investigations led to the arrest of other gang members upon deportation from South Africa.
Online Reporter