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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
AN unrepentant robber who pounced on three people at knifepoint and allegedly sodomised an epileptic until he lost consciousness, was yesterday jailed for 15 years.
Bulawayo regional magistrate Mark Dzira convicted Bongani Tshuma, 31, of Makokoba suburb of two counts of robbery.
Tshuma was, however, acquitted of aggravated indecent assault following the withdrawal of the charges by the state on the sodomy charge.
The prosecutor, Paida Zengeni, withdrew the charges arguing that the state largely relied on circumstantial evidence to incriminate him.
Tshuma was, however, sentenced to 12 years in jail for two counts of robbery. He will serve an effective 15 years after three years that were suspended in 2011 for armed robbery were reinstated.
Dzira said Tshuma was an unrepentant robber who deserved to be jailed for a lengthy prison term.
In 2011, Tshuma was convicted and sentenced to eight years in jail for armed robbery, but three years were suspended for five years on condition that he would not within that period commit a similar crime.
“You robbed the two complainants of their money and cellphones at knifepoint and there is no doubt that the victims were traumatised at the sight of the knife. As a second offender, it’s clear that you refused to reform having been once convicted of a similar crime and you should spend several years in jail,” ruled Dzira.
The magistrate said there was a high possibility that Tshuma could have harmed the complainants had they resisted.
The court heard that on November 19 last year shortly after 4.30PM, Liberty Muchena was walking towards Entumbane suburb when he was spotted from a distance by Tshuma near the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) diesel shed.
The court heard that when Muchena got closer, Tshuma confronted him and demanded money at knifepoint.
Muchena surrendered his cellphone and $75.
After committing the crime, Tshuma fled into a nearby bush.
The following day at about 6PM near Sobukazi High School in Mzilikazi suburb, Tshuma met Gladys Khumalo who was coming from Mpilo Central Hospital in the company of her young sister.
“Tshuma confronted the two women and blocked their way before he pulled out a knife and demanded money from Khumalo,” said Zengeni.
Tshuma took the complainant’s cellphone and $48 before disappearing into the darkness.
He was arrested on December 13 after one of the complainants spotted him and alerted police who assigned their Dog Section to track him down.
The complainants managed to positively identify him during an identification parade at Ross Camp Police Station.
Online Reporter