Chronicle Editor
Trish Mukwazo, [email protected]
IN an incident that could be the leading contender for Zimbabwe’s Dumbest Criminals, three Bulawayo men stole 2 900 litres of diesel from Econet Wireless base stations in Rangemore suburb and along the Bulawayo/Nkayi Road and immediately set up a stall to sell the fuel near the scene of crime.
Themba Moyo (55) of Njube suburb, Carlton Ndlovu (44) and Tshidzani Mpofu (33) also robbed two security guards of electronic gadgets and cash.
They were yesterday convicted by the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court.
The trio will be back in court today for sentencing. The value of the diesel, two cell phones, a laptop and a pair of sneakers stolen from two security guards manning the base stations is US$7 240.
Themba Moyo (55) of Njube suburb, Carlton Ndlovu (44) and Tshidzani Mpofu (33) both of Gwayi in Plumtree were convicted of three counts of robbery and one of unlawful dealing in petroleum products.
In passing judgement, Bulawayo regional magistrate, Mrs Dambudzo Malunga, noted that Mpofu was the first to get arrested and he implicated the other two accused who were found with evidence that they committed the offences.
“The court finds that it is not by coincidence that immediately after the Econet base stations were robbed, the three were found selling diesel the following morning. The court has found that there is credible evidence that the three offenders are guilty of the crimes,” said Mrs Malunga.
In mitigation the defence lawyer submitted that the three are first-time offenders, they are breadwinners and have minor children.
Prosecutor Mr Owen Mugari, said in the early hours of 27 May, the trio arrived at an Econet base station in Rangemore suburb in a silver-grey Honda Fit driven by Mpofu.
Moyo and Ndlovu, armed with a spanner and a bolt cutter, approached the on-duty security guard, restrained him by tying his hands and feet with cable ties before stealing his Itel cell phone.
“They force-marched the security guard to a secluded area, about 30 to 40 metres away from the base station and ordered him to lie down on the ground.”
Mr Mugari said the two broke into base station and used spanners to remove a diesel tank drain plug and drained 900 litres of fuel. The gang transported the stolen loot to Emakhandeni suburb where it was given to fuel dealers – Mr Itayi Yekeye, Mr Dumisile Nkiwane and Ms Perseverence Hove – to sell.
“One of the accused co-operated with the police and led them to the recovery of 1 020 litres of diesel from a fuel dealer’s place of residence and a total value of US$992 was recovered,” he said.
The court was told that on the night of 3 June the trio when they went to another Econet base station situated along the Bulawayo/Nkayi Road armed with a spanner, a hacksaw and a bolt cutter. They used the same modus operandi of incapacitating the on-duty security guard and searched him for the presence of a panic button before tying his hands and feet with cable ties.
They stole a Techno cell phone, US$150 cash, a laptop and a pair of sneakers before draining 2 000 litres of diesel.
The stolen cell phone, lap top and sneakers were recovered from Mpofu’s home. Police recovered 620 litres of diesel from the same fuel dealers.
Online Reporter