Two men have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm, following a violent carjacking incident and a dramatic police pursuit.
Emmanuel Sithole ,50, and Vengesai Gibson ,32, were found guilty after a full trial before Harare regional magistrate Donald Ndirowei.
Prosecutor Tendai Tapi told the court that on December 4, 2024, at around 8am, the complainant, Sizini Eunice Rapoyo of Chitungwiza, was reversing her white Toyota Wish as she prepared to leave for work when the pair approached, opened the door, and forcibly pulled her out.
One of the men grabbed her by the arm, ordered her out of the vehicle, and the duo sped off with it. During the robbery, Rapoyo’s son, Tinashe John Rapoyo, attempted to intervene by throwing a stone, but one of the accused fired a warning shot into the air, forcing him to retreat.
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The stolen vehicle contained a Samsung cellphone with a Buddie SIM card. A report was promptly filed at ZRP St Mary’s.
The following day, December 5, the two men drove the stolen vehicle to Mubaira Growth Point, where they attempted another robbery. Acting on a tip-off, police from ZRP Mubaira intercepted the suspects, who tried to flee after being signalled to stop.
Officers fired warning shots, prompting the suspects to abandon the vehicle and flee on foot while armed. One accomplice, Adonis Mucheriwa, was shot in the leg during the chase and arrested. He was found in possession of a 7.65mm Star pistol loaded with two live rounds and was taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital under police guard.
A search of the abandoned car led to the recovery of two balaclavas, a 14-pound hammer, and four pairs of gloves packed in a satchel. The recovered firearm was handed over to CID Ballistics for analysis.
The court ruled that the evidence against Sithole and Gibson was overwhelming and sentenced each of them to 10 years in prison.
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