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Court Reporter 

A MEMBER of a six-member gang suspected to be behind a spate of armed robberies that occurred in and around Harare was yesterday jailed for a year for illegal possession of a firearm, while his brother was also separately jailed for two years for possessing a gun and 100 rounds of ammunition.

Peter Mushipe was initially jailed for 36 months when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Tafadzwa Miti, who suspended 24 months of his jail term for five years.

The 24 months were set aside on condition of good behaviour.

Mushipe is believed to be a member of a gang of armed robbers comprising of Godfrey Josi, Zvidozvashe Zuda, Valentine Mutasa, Richard Mutanga, Decide Rice and the late Benjamin Craig Musasa. 

They are all appearing in court on pending charges of armed robbery.

Mushipe’s brother, Thadios, was also initially jailed for 36 months when he appeared before the same court for illegally possessing a gun and 100 rounds of live ammunition.

Thadios had 15 months of his sentence set aside on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

He will serve 21 months behind bars.

Ms Nomsa Kangara, prosecuting, had it that on July 3 last year detectives from CID Homicide were told that Josi was spotted in Damofalls area.

They then teamed up with ZRP Support Unit members and Canine section members and raided a house in Damofalls.

The law enforcement agents managed to apprehend Josi for cases of armed robbery committed in Harare and other surrounding areas.

Josi was interviewed and he implicated Peter Mushipe, who was later nabbed in Stoneridge Park, Harare where he tried to flee.

Mushipe was then shot on his leg and subsequently arrested.

His leg was later amputated.

Searches were made and he was found with a shot gun loaded with a 12 bore round live ammunition wrapped with a plastic paper and 8×12 bore rounds live ammunitions were recovered from his pockets.

On July 6, 2021 the recovered shotgun was taken to CID Forensic Ballistics for examination and a ballistic report established that the firearm matched with an armed robbery case which occurred at in Mainway Meadows, Waterfalls, Harare.

Mr Thomas Chanakira, who represented the State in the Thadios Mushipe’s matter said on June 1, 2021 at about 11.30pm Vengai Kazembe, a member of ZRP Southlea Park Neighbourhood Watch Committee received a text message from a security guard at Stoneridge Tobacco Graders only identified as Doti saying he had been threatened by him.

Kazembe mobilised other security guards and tracked Thadios and found him at Chasura Bar, Stoneridge Park.

With assistance from members of the public and other security guards, they apprehended Thadios. Upon searching him, they found him in possession of a 9mm Star pistol and five live rounds of ammunition wrapped in a plastic in his right jacket pocket.

Thadios was taken to ZRP Southlea Park where detectives took him to his place of residence in Stoneridge Park.

Searches were made in his house and a box of 50 x 9mm Luger live rounds and a box of 50 x 380 Auto live rounds of ammunition were recovered stashed in a metal cash box in his wardrobe.

Investigations revealed that the firearm that Thadios had was robbed Nigel Muhambi of Olegene Mining Syndicate in Kadoma.

During the robbery incident Muhambi also lost US$35 000, Isuzu KB single cab, Toyota Fortuner, 530grammes of gold and two firearms.