56 years' jail each for habitual armed robbers

Zim Now Writer

Two Harare habitual armed robbers who went on an armed robbery spree in Mutare have been sentenced to a total of 56 years’ imprisonment each.

Artwell Machekera and Phinias Bhasera (both 29) from Stoneridge Park, Waterfalls in Harare terrorised Mutare residents by waylaying motorists at night and robbing them of their vehicles and valuables at gunpoint.

Mutare regional magistrate, Phethukile Msipa, sentenced the two to 56 years each after convicting them of six counts of armed robbery.

Bhasera pleaded not guilty to all the counts and had seven years of his 56 years suspended while Machekera had four years suspended after admitting to some of the counts.

The magistrate said the evidence against the two was overwhelming before convicting the two.

For the State, prosecutor Nomathemba Sayi said the two would either pretend to be passengers waiting to get a lift before producing a firearm and a knife to rob motorists of their vehicles and valuables.

In other cases, they would wait for motorists to slow down at traffic controlled intersections and then pounce on them.

On the first count, Sayi said on February 28, the complainant, Lawson Masiyazi was driving his Honda Fit vehicle along Mutare-Chimanimani road.

Upon arriving at an intersection, complainant stopped to heed traffic lights before Bhasera pulled out a pistol and instructed him to stop.

The two accused persons jumped into the complainant’s motor vehicle and ordered him to drive along the same road at gun point. When they reached Fern Valley turn-off, the two ordered complainant to stop before they forcibly removed from his vehicle and they took off with the vehicle and valuables.

He reported the offence to the police.

His driver’s licence disc, clothes and a lap top worth about US$8 000 were recovered.

On another count Sayi said on March 3, at around 8.30pm, Faith Mbiba was with her husband driving a Toyota Sienta from Mutare Rural Police Camp heading towards Dangamvura when the husband stopped at the Swimming Pool bus stop to pick passengers.

Bhasera and Machekera pretended to be passengers going to Villa Spot in Dangamvura.

Along the way, Bhasera pulled out a pistol and ordered the driver not to turn towards Dangamvura but proceed along Mutare-Chimanimani Road.

After driving for about 200 metres, one of the accused ordered complainant to stop before he took over the driver’s seat and headed for Fern Valley turn-off. There they ordered the complainants to surrender all their money before ejecting them.

Their national identity cards and passports were recovered upon the pair’s arrest.

The magistrate said the three other counts were committed using the same modus operandi.

In the other counts, the accused robbed shop owners around Mutare before stealing money and valuables.