adminThe trio are accused of preying on illegal immigrants going into either South Africa or Zimbabwe through undesignated entry points along the Limpopo River. They had turned Dulibadzimu gorge into their operation zone.
Dereck Ndou (20), Darlington Rusenga (27) and Admire Musviba (21) were convicted on their plea of guilty to a charge of robbery when they appeared before magistrate Mr Innocent Bepura.
Prosecutor Mr Tawonga Musina told the court that on October 1, last year the accused persons spotted their victim Jacob Mahlalela who was on his way to cross into South Africa through an illegal entry point near the gorge.
They then laid in ambush and armed themselves with iron bars, axe handles and logs and struck him on the head with axe handles, after which they ordered him to strip his clothes and surrender all items that he had been carrying, including money.
The accused persons then stole two cell phones, clothes and R350 from the victim and fled from the scene.
Mahlalela managed to stagger back to the town where he reported the matter to the police. They used the same method on other victims, until police, acting on a tip off arrested them. Police recovered iron bars allegedly used in the robbery from Ndou.
Online Reporter