Zimpapers Logo

Herald Reporters
Four Harare men who were last Thursday slapped with varying prison terms for robbing people of their vehicles, cash and other valuables have 10 more cases of armed robbery pending.Police yesterday said on April 23 alone, the gang committed about 14 robbery cases in which they terrorised several people in and around the city at night after getting away with a Mazda Verissa from a driver who had offered them a lift.

The four are Learnmore Matiyenga (20), Tafadzwa Mutede (23), Elvis Kunaka (21) and Noel Pedzasai (age not given).

According to investigations, there are 14 complainants, including two policemen and a soldier who were robbed by the quartet.

On April 23, three of the robbers, hired Godknows Saunyama – a soldier – to be ferried to Harare’s Budiriro 3 shops from Budiriro 1.

Along the way, one of the three grabbed Saunyama from the back and produced a knife, threatening to kill him if he resisted.

They tied up Saunyama and later dumped him near the police station in Glen View 1.

The trio stole Saunyama’s Toyota Raum (registration number ADQ 8622), a mobile phone and cash amounting to $3.

They later dumped the vehicle a few hours later near the police station.

On the same day, police said the robbers robbed a Mazda Verissa (ABQ 4847) after hiring the complainant from Machipisa Shopping Centre to Glen View 7.

They got away with an undisclosed amount of cash, a cellphone and a laptop.

The robbers drove to Glen View 2 Extension, Kuwadzana, city centre, Belvedere, Braeside and Waterfalls where they committed 14 robberies on the same day.

They were arrested last Thursday following a tip-off, while they were smoking mbanje at Matiyenga’s house.

Kunaka, Matiyenga and Pedzasai appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Adonia Masawi, who sentenced them to five years in prison each after they were convicted of robbing a motorist of his motor vehicle, cash and other valuables.

The trio was sentenced to seven years in jail each with two years apiece suspended on condition of good behaviour.

Mr Liberty Gono prosecuted.

On the other four counts of robbing other motorists, Matiyenga, Kunaka and Pedzasai were sentenced to 14 years each in prison while Mutede was sentenced to 11 years by Harare regional magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya. Mr Ephraim Ziyambi prosecuted.

Meanwhile, two suspected armed robbers, including a serving soldier, who were part of a gang involved in a shoot-out with police in Kadoma in March have been arrested in Chitungwiza.

Unity Mutsure (26) based at 5.1 Infantry Battalion at Battlefields and Stewart Matukutire (37) who is not employed, were arrested last Thursday in Zengeza 3 following a tip-off.

The two appeared in court last Saturday before magistrate Mr Rueben Marwe who remanded them in custody to May 12.

Last Thursday, police received information that Mutsure and Matukutire and their accomplices were conducting a meeting along a road near Zengeza 3 Shopping Centre.

It is alleged that the gang were planning to drive to Mashonaland Central where they wanted to raid a certain company.

They are believed to have been organising to purchase explosives to use during the raid.

When police arrived at the scene, they saw the gang was deep in discussion over their next move.