84 years in jail for robbing bus passengers!

Zim Now Writer

Ashton Siziba, 26, a gang member of the four accused men arrested in connection with a case of armed robbery case involving a Blue Circle bus, was on Thursday sentenced to 84 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to 37 counts of robbery.

Siziva who appeared at the Chiredzi Magistrates' court stood accused of armed robbery together with three other alleged accomplices, Talent Mlaudzi, 20, Saul Dadirai, 23 and Pheneas Shumba, 25, in connection with a robbery case that happened on July 18, 2024.

The other three accomplices are set to appear again in court on September 11,2024, for continuation of trial, while the other suspect in the case, Elphase Mugudubudze is still at large.

It was the State’s case that the accused persons connived to rob Blue Circle bus at Vilivili bus stop, with the quartet having boarded the bus at Mbudzi bus terminus headed for Beitbridge while they had left Elphase at the bus stop where the crime was subsequently committed.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe reports that, “on the 18th of July 2024 at around 0400 hours the fourth accused person approached the conductor and advised him that he wanted to disembark at Vilivili bus stop. When the bus stopped, Elphase Mugudubudze got into the bus armed with a C75 9mm pistol which he used to threaten the driver whilst the accused persons produced okapi knives and threatened the passengers.”

The accused persons are said to have ordered the driver to drive the bus to a hidden place where they ordered passengers to surrender all their belongings before fleeing the scene.

Following the matter being reported to the police, the quartet were arrested, leading to the first accused person’s conviction.

“The first accused person pleaded guilty to 37 counts of robbery and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment each for count 1 to 6. He was sentenced to a further 12 years each for count 7 to 37. The 12 years for count 7 to 37 will run concurrently. He will serve 84 years effectively,” the statement added.