12 years jail for robber targeting Zvishavane mine...

12 years jail for robber targeting Zvishavane miners

Rutendo Mazhindu

Zim Now Reporter

A Zvishavane man, Gabriel Nyerebani, has been sentenced to a total of 12 and a half years in prison for a series of robberies targeting small-scale miners in the area.

Nyerebani appeared before the Zvishavane Magistrate's Court on four counts of robbery, impersonating a police officer, and possessing prohibited knives.

The court heard that on July 10th, Nyerebani, along with an accomplice still at large named Tinashe Methias Nyerebani, embarked on a robbery spree. Disguised in balaclavas and armed with a pistol and pepper spray, they approached unsuspecting miners and demanded cash.

One of their attempted robberies targeted a miner using a metal detector. Nyerebani and his accomplice fired a shot into the air, causing the miner and his colleagues to flee. The panicked miners left their metal detector behind, which the robbers took.

However, greed proved to be Nyerebani's undoing. He returned the stolen metal detector to the same miner, attempting to sell it back for a mere $50. The miner, recognizing his stolen property, saw an opportunity. He contacted the police, leading to Nyerebani's arrest in the Madeira area.

Nyerebani received a 10-year sentence for the first four counts of robbery and impersonation, with one year suspended. An additional 4-year sentence with a 1-year suspension was added for another robbery charge. Finally, he received a 6-month sentence for possessing prohibited knives. In total, Nyerebani will serve 12 and a half years behind bars.