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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

Three men, believed to be part of an armed robbery gang terrorising illegal immigrants and smugglers along the Limpopo River, have been jailed for an effective 10 months after they were found in possession of an assortment of firearms and ammunition along the river without the required licences.

Munyaradzi Ncube (27) of Kwekwe, Elphas Chigudugudze (34) of Gwanda, and Tafara Moyo (30) of Buhera were busted by the national security task force while coming from South Africa through an illegal crossing point near the Chinyampanze area.

They had two Berretta Gordon Gardiner pistols, one Vektor CPI Pistol, and an assortment of ammunition.

The trio was convicted on their own plea of guilty when they appeared before Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Mr Innocent Bepura yesterday charged for contravening a section of the Firearms Act through the unlawful possession of a firearm or ammunition without a license. Ncube and crew are still to face trial on armed robbery charges on January 25.

The three were left with an effective 10 months to serve when the magistrate conditionally suspended five months of the 15 months term for five years.

The firearms and ammunition were forfeited to the State as part of the sentence.

Prosecuting, Mr Ronald Mugwagwa said on September 27 last year, Ncube and his accomplices arrived in the country via the Limpopo River carrying firearms and small satchels.

He said they were then intercepted by the police who were patrolling around the Chinyampanze area who then recovered the three firearms and an assortment of ammunition.

They asked the three to produce licenses but they failed resulting in their subsequent arrest.