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Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
A Chitungwiza man was on Friday fined $400 after he was convicted of carrying weapons that were believed to have been used to rob an EcoCash agent of $24 000, in his car. Panganai Munodawafa, alias Obert Madziva (40), appeared before Chitungwiza resident magistrate Mr Nyasha Vitorini charged with possession of articles for criminal use.

He was convicted after a full trail.
He will spend three months in prison if he fails to pay the fine.
In addition, eight months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

However, Munodawafa was acquitted of robbery charges after the State failed to prove its case.
Munodawafa’s cause was also assisted by the complainant, Kumbirai Chirunga (29), who also testified that he never identified him as part of the gang that robbed him.

Prosecuting, Mr Tatenda Mukatera said that on December 6 last year at around 7.30pm Chirunga left his workplace and while driving home along the Harare-Wedza Road he noticed that he was being followed by an unregistered vehicle just before Tugwete Village road turn-off in Dema,.

Upon arrival at his house the unidentified robbers, who are still at large, struck him on the left side of his forehead once with an iron bar, but he managed to escape.

It was alleged that the robbers broke the rear window of Chirunga’s vehicle and stole two satchels containing $5 000 cash, airtime scratch cards amounting to $5 000 and two Buddie lines containing an EcoCash balance of $14 276.

Chirunga reported the matter to the police and of the $24 276 that was stolen, only $14 276 which was in the EcoCash account was recovered.

On February 8 this year, Chirunga spotted Munodawafa at Chikwanha Shopping Centre and immediately notified Chitungwiza police.

The police arrested him, searched his vehicle and discovered catapults, two metal bars, a knife and a modified object for breaking into cars.