Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A 23-year-old Chipinge man was last week arraigned before the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court facing charges of stealing 33 goats from six villagers.
Givemore Jambaya of Chikwanda village under Chief Mutema in Chipinge was not asked to plead but magistrate Honest Musiiwa remanded him in custody pending trial.
The court heard that on January 25, Jambaya teamed up with six accomplices who include Wilfred Mabika, Wisdom Gurudza and four others who are all still at large and stole the goats from the grazing lands.
They loaded the stolen goats into their Mercedes Benz Sprinter and drove towards Harare but the vehicle developed mechanical problems along the way.
As they tried to fix it, members of the community became suspicious and alerted the police that came and arrested Jambaya while the other six fled.
The value of the stolen goats was put at US$1 500.
Willard Chasi prosecuted.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – Fakina Chigwiko, a commercial sex worker based at Ngundu business centre, was hired by a motorist who later robbed her at gunpoint, the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court heard last week.
Appearing before Mwenezi magistrate Honest Musiiwa was Isaac Chakana (36) of Danga village under Chief Nyajena in Masvingo.
Chakana was not asked to plead for contravening section 126 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23 “robbery” but was remanded in custody pending trial.
The court heard that on January 5 this year, while at Ngundu business centre, Chakana approached and hired Fakina Chigwiko who is a sex worker. With consensus, the two went to where Chakana had parked his motor vehicle.
Chakana, who was accompanied by an accomplice who was still at large by the time of going to the press, produced a pistol and pointed it to Chigwiko and demanded cash.
The two allegedly forced Chigwiko into their car and drove away for about six kilometres. They fired two shots and took away Chigwiko’s US$17 and a cell phone.
After robbing the complainant, they drove away leaving the complaint behind.
A police report was made and Chakana was arrested after a week when he was passing through Ngundu again. Willard Chasi prosecuted.local

Police have launched a manhunt for criminals who are spreading anguish in Bhuka, Bhati and Steven areas through rape and attempted rape of school children.
Masvingo police spokesperson, Inspector Charity Mazula said they have received several rape and attempted rape reports committed successively over recent days.
“We have launched a manhunt and we are also appealing for information from the public. From what we have gathered from the complainants, it seems there is more than one rapist on the prowl so we will not rest until they are arrested.
“We are calling upon anyone with information to contact Officer in Charge Masvingo Rural, Chief Inspector Alexius Munkuli on 0712575535,” Mazula said.
The reported cases involve primary school children who were sexually assaulted or who escaped attempted rape while on their way to or from school.
Many parents in the areas are now accompanying their children to and from school in response to the menace.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A 21-year-old cattle herder who engaged in consensual sex with a minor will live to regret the act after he was recently convicted of the offence by the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court.
Brighton Madhobhi of Shoko village under Chief Chitanga, pleaded guilty to unlawful sex and was convicted by magistrate Honest Musiiwa.
He was sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment but six of those months were conditionally suspended. The remaining 12 months were set aside on condition that Madhobhi performed 420 hours of community service at Guramatunhu Primary School.
Represented by prosecutor Willard Chasi, the State convinced the court that sometime last year, Madhobhi proposed love to a 15-year-old girl who resides at Tayi village under Chief Chitanga. On November 23, 2017 the two went to the bush where they engaged in consensual sexual intercourse once.
Suspicious of his child’s conduct with Madhobhi, the complainant’s father investigated and the offense was revealed. A police report was made leading to his arrest.local

MWENEZI – A 21-year-old man from Muchene village five under Chief Chitanga found her sister fast asleep in her bedroom and decided to rape her, the Mwenezi court heard last week.
Appearing before magistrate Honest Musiiwa, the man, who cannot be named to protect the victim, was not formally charged of rape as defined in Section 65 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23 but was remanded in custody. 
The prosecutor, Angelinah Makonya stated that on November 15, 2017, the accused found her 15-year-old sister fast asleep in her bedroom hut.
He then dragged the minor to the floor and when she tried to cry for help, the accused threatened her and raped her once while holding her neck.
After the ordeal, the victim reported the matter to her grandmother who then filed a police report leading to the accused’s arrest.local

MWENEZI – A-34-year-old Mutare woman was last week convicted by Mwenezi magistrate Honest Musiiwa after she was found in possession of 1.77 kgs of marijuana.
Manyara Matata, who resides at house number 13 Habscus, Palmstone East in Mutare, was convicted on her own plea of guilty for contravening section 157 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23 “found in possession of dagga”.
Magistrate Musiiwa strongly cautioned Matata against drug dealing before he sentenced her to 24 months behind bars.  From the 24 months, 10 months were conditionally suspended for five years leaving Matata with an effective 14 months imprisonment.
State facts as presented by Prosecutor Willard Chasi are that on January 14 this year, police detectives received a tipoff that Matata, who was at Ngundu bus stop, was in possession of dagga.
Armed with the information, police detectives approached Matata, searched her and found the dagga.
This led to Matata’s arrest. The dagga was produced as exhibit in court.local

Exsto Makunzva

ZVISHAVANE – Sunboy Ncube of Makusha Township in Shurugwi died after he was allegedly stabbed by a fellow fan of Nichrut FC after the Roy Mazingi Tournament match played at Mandava on Saturday, March 3.
The case was reported at Zvishavane Police Station but TellZim News could not get a comment from Midlands provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende as she said she had not yet received the report.
Sources however said the victim was stabbed by a man (name supplied) at around 19:00 hrs following a dispute. The victim had allegedly tried to bar the man from boarding a kombi which had been hired by the football team for fans to travel from Shurugwi to Zvishavane and back.
A heated argument ensued and the now deceased is said to have broken an empty beer with which he supposedly wanted to stab the man.
Sensing danger, the man is said to have fled the scene and Ncube followed in hot pursuit but latter staggered back with blood oozing from from his chest.
He reportedly claimed that he had been stabbed by a knife by the man, got on board the kombi and fell down unconscious.
He was rushed to Zvishavane District Hospital where he died upon admission.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – Some named senior police officers who are stationed at Rutenga Police Station are reportedly implicated in a case of stock theft that saw a villager losing 14 beasts to cattle, TellZim News has learnt.
During the recent routine remand of five alleged cattle rustlers Menius Chihora, Witness Dube, Clever Mashira, Munyaradzi Matibwini and Obert Dirikwe who are all out of custody on bail, magistrate Honest Musiiwa hinted on the sensitivity of their case.
“Your docket was forwarded to Masvingo. Owing to the sensitivity of your case, it’s not yet clear whether you are going to be tried here or the matter will be dealt with in Masvingo. Because of some people who are said to be involved in the matter, it’s likely that the case will be heard in Masvingo,” said Musiiwa.
Sources close to the matter told TellZim News that some senior police officers at Rutenga Police Station were allegedly involved in the case as they allegedly facilitated the clearance of the stolen beasts.
It is alleged that sometime in November last year, the five suspects went to Tagura village 5 Orwood Ranch in Mwenezi where they drove away 14 herds of cattle belonging to Elfas Nyatera. The cattle were in the grazing unattended in the veld.
A police report was made leading to the arrest of the suspects. Of the 14 stolen beasts only four beast were recovered.
The five accused, who are being represented by Joseph Maweni were ordered to come back to court on March 20.
Willard Chasi appeared for the State.local

Lloyd Shunje

MUTARE – A 20-year-old serial criminal living in Chikanga suburb recently appeared before Mutare magistrate Tendai Mahwe facing a murder charge after he allegedly shot a taxi driver on the head using a pistol stolen from a soldier.
Talent Michael Matambo, who was remanded in custody to March 09, resides at 3136 Chikanga 2 and is facing a murder charge as defined in section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
Appearing for the State, Fletcher Karombe told the court that on February 15 this year, Matambo hired the now deceased, who was a taxi driver, to take him to Railways Motor Services (RMS).
Upon arrival at RMS, Matambo ordered the driver to stop before shooting him in the head, killing him instantly.
Matambo then drove the vehicle, a Honda Fit, with the body of the deceased to Maruni Farm along the Mutare – Forbes Border Road where he dumped the corpse and drove away.
The accused was arrested after investigations and he was found in possession of the deceased’s car, phone and the Makarov pistol which he, with the complicity of his friend Leonard Machaka who is facing a theft charge, had earlier stolen from a member of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).
Matambo was denied bail after the court considered that he could abscond, given that he had a pending case of theft of a firearm and unlawful entry. He also has a criminal record, having served 22 months for unlawful entry and theft.
The court also considered that the pistol which Matambo used had seven rounds, but the other bullets had not yet been recovered.local

Precila Takabvirakare

MPANDAWANA – The Gutu Magistrates’ Court has sentenced Tadius Nyenze (66), of Stand Number 42 Village 2A Collins Farm Chatsworth, to four years in prison for sexually harassing his 11-year-old niece.
Magistrate Edwin Marecha suspended one year of the sentence for five years on condition of good behaviour and after considering that Nyenze was a first time offender who pleaded guilty thus did not waste the court’s time.
It was a State’s case that on February 12 at around 07:00 hrs, Nyenze called the complainant, who was on her way to school, to his homestead.
While in the house, Nyenze started to ask her obscene questions about her parents’ private parts before giving her 50 cents to buy whatever she could at school.
He then unzipped his trousers, withdrew his erect manhood and showed it to the child before demanding that she show him hers as well but the girl refused.
Though Nyenze had pleaded with her not to tell anybody, the minor disclosed the matter to her parents leading to Nyenze’s arrest.
Samuel Magobeya represented the State.local