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Court Reporter
Two men and a woman who robbed unsuspecting travellers they offered transport while clad in Zimbabwe National Army camouflage will spend the next eight years and six months in prison. Chamunorwa Mugadza (26), Munyaradzi Masendeke (26) and Nyarai Mutumwa (23) were convicted of three counts of robbery on Wednesday.
Another co-accused, Leeroy Magwaza (20), was acquitted on all the charges. Harare magistrate Mr Musaione Shortgame found Mugadza and Masendeke guilty on all counts while Mutumwa was convicted on count three and acquitted on counts one and two.
Mugadza and Masendeke were sentenced to 10 years in jail on all counts. One year was suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour and another six months were set aside for restitution.
Mutumwa was sentenced to four years with a year suspended for five years. Another four months were suspended on condition of restitution of US$773 on or before March 10 this year.
She would serve two years and eight months effective. Prosecutor Ms Yvonne Gurira told the court that on December 7 last year the accused, clad in camouflage were driving a Toyota pick-up and offered Taziva Mandishora a lift.
Mandishora sat at the back with the other accused who were wielding machetes and screw- drivers. The vehicle stopped at Warren Park D and two of the accused disembarked and demanded Mandishora’s valuables.
After handing over US$600 and his clothing, the accused sped off after pushing Mandishora out of the vehicle. The same day the accused offered a lift to Joel Muchenje. Using the same modus operandi they stole a Nokia phone, 10kg of maize seed and US$55.
The accused offered a lift to Unganai Gadzo and stole his clothes and US$2 320. The following day detectives spotted a Toyota Vitz stolen in Kadoma driving at high speed. Police gave chase and arrested the accused who led to the recovery of ZNA camouflage uniforms.
Online Reporter