adminFungai Wanonenga had pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared before regional magistrate Ms Esthere Chivasa who convicted him because of overwhelming evidence. Wanonenga was jointly charged with Brainmore Nyirenda who has since been committed to the psychiatric prison as he was found to be a mental patient. Wanonenga faked mental illness but doctors found him to be normal. The pair was facing two counts of armed robbery and another of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Prosecutor Sarah Bosha proved that the two approached one Chamunorwa Siwombe, a taxi driver, while he was parked at corner Samora Machel and Chinhoyi Street and hired his vehicle to Belvedere on February 17. Upon their arrival in Belvedere the two ordered Siwombe to stop the vehicle for them to disembark. When the vehicle stopped, Nyirenda produced a revolver threatening to shoot Siwombe and ordered him off the driver’s seat. They drove off in Siwombe’s vehicle, leaving him stranded.
The pair went to Glen view, where they pounced on Tinashe Dube, a salesman for Bakers Inn. Dube was delivering bread using a DAF truck. The two took US$2 617 and drove off to Glen View 3. The two were later arrested after a tip-off and an Amadeo38 revolver was recovered.
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