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Court Reporter 

A 29-year-old man from Mudakwenda Village in Mhondoro-Ngezi, who was arrested while lavishly spending US$100 000 which was part of the US$2,5 million robbed from a security van distributing the cash to some ZB Bank branches in the country was yesterday jailed for three years.

Tichaona Njowa, believed to be a relative of fugitive mastermind Richard Njowa, was initially jailed for five years when he appeared before magistrate Mr Kudakwashe Mhene charged with theft.

Mr Mhene set aside two years of Njowa’s jail term on condition that he did not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

Njowa was convicted after full trial.

The State led by Mr Shepherd Makonde said on January 18, Richard and his son left Harare for their rural home in Mhondoro.

On arrival, Richard ordered his son to hide US$100 000 underground and Job placed the money in a pot and hid it underground.

It was when Job was digging at around 9pm that Tichaona spotted him. Knowing that Job’s father was wanted in connection with a robbery, Tichaona then woke up around 4am and stole the money.

Another villager, Luxury Nakamwe, observed Tichaona as he was stealing the money which Job had hidden.

Tichaona gave Nakamwe US$5 000 to buy his silence.

Mr Makonde said Tichaona left his homestead and went to Turf in Ngezi where he bought a Honda Fit car for US$2 900 and went on a spending spree, booking lodges around Turf and splashing out cash.

Tichaona’s lavish lifestyle in Turf raised suspicion, especially after he bought a second car and police took him for questioning.

He then revealed that he had stolen the money from Job and was found in possession of US$15 000 upon his arrest.