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| Taurai Mujatiwa |
Tendai
Mbede
CHIREDZI
– A 33-year-old ex-cop who was stationed at Chiredzi Central Police Station,
Taurai Mujatiwa was last week imprisoned for 33 years by Chiredzi Regional
Magistrate Judith Zuyu after being found guilty on three counts of armed
robbery, TellZim News can report.
Mujatiwa
was found guilty on three counts of armed robbery after he stole property
worthy $63 000 and US$820 and R70 200.
Of
the 33-year-long jail term, two years were set aside provided he paid back US$125
for count one, R58 720 and US$788 for count two before May 27, 2021.
The
State represented by Noel Muranda stated that on March 05 this year, Mujatiwa
in company of Collins Chauke, who is still at large, approached Calisto Jairos
Mapikire, who is a taxi driver at N. Richards Wholesalers in Chiredzi asking
for his services to Hippo Valley Section 27.
When
they got to Chitsanga Hill, the accused strangled the complainant, tightened
his hands and legs, covered his face and discharged a firearm threatening to
kill him if he failed to cooperate.
The
accused drove off to Triangle and dumped the complainant in a cane field near
High Siringa and took his Toyota Fan cargo, US$125.00, a pair of tennis shoes,
a belt and a cellphone. The complainant later managed to reach for help and reported
the matter to Triangle Police Station.
On
the second count, along Masvingo-Beitbridge highway the following day, Mujatiwa gave Lydia Maphosa a lift and threatened to kill her and
took her Gtel cellphone, S$ 21 000 and a monarch with clothes before dumping
her alongside the road and drove off.
The
state presented that on March 07, in Zvinonyanya Village, Mwenezi district, the
accused in the company of four gang members, approached Nokutula Moyo’s
homestead around 03:00hrs and broke into her house before threatening the
complainant and his family with a machete.
They
requested for safe keys but the complainant refused to give them. The accused
harassed and assaulted Moyo’s daughter with open and threatened to chop them
into pieces.
They
demanded a cellphone and took a safe with US$770, P250, R70 200 and property
worthy S$16 310.
The
accused was later arrested at a police road block in Chivi, where he refused to
cooperate with the police before running away, leaving the stolen car behind.
The
police searched in his car and found a machete with dry blood strains, a screw
driver and discovered that vehicle been stolen.
On
passing her verdict, Magistrate Zuyu said there was enough evidence to prove
that the accused was guilty.
