TWO Harare men were last week jailed for an effective 17 years each after being convicted of robbing a taxi driver and other people of their belongings.
BY CHARLES LAITON
They made off with a vehicle and cash, all valued at over US$6 600.
The two, Michael Musinga (26) and Brian Mapanga (29), were jailed for 20 years each for armed robbery by Harare regional magistrate, Fadzai Mtombeni but three years of the sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
It is the State’s case that in September last year Musinga and Mapanga hired Sydney Gunzo, a taxi driver, in Harare’s central business district (CBD) on the pretext that they intended to go to Waterfalls.
The court heard that when they reached Mbuya Dorcas Hospital in Mainway Meadows, Waterfalls, Mapanga ordered Gunzo to turn left until he got to a T-junction where he was again ordered to proceed into a dusty road leading to Chitungwiza. Gunzo refused.
At that juncture, Musinga grabbed Gunzo by the neck, pointed a sharp object at his neck and ordered him to remain silent as they proceeded to tie his hands and legs before shoving him in between the seats at the back of the vehicle with his face down.
Mapanga then took control of the vehicle and drove back towards the main road but stopped after driving a few metres from the scene.
- Suspected armed robbers nabbed.
- 2 nabbed over $2,5m goods theft
- Karoi robbers remanded in custody
- Armed robbers grab US$450K gold at mine
Keep Reading
The two then stripped Gunzo naked, stole US$35 from him and pushed him out of the vehicle before they sped off.
Gunzo later managed to untie himself and reported the matter to the police leading to the duo’s arrest.
The vehicle was recovered dumped in Chitungwiza.
