The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa Weekender Correspondent
TWO MUTARE men who posed as taxi drivers and robbed unsuspecting passengers will spend the next 12 years behind bars after they were convicted of committing the crimes. Chakaipa Chepamanja (26) and Admire Kamupunga (26) were convicted of six counts of robbery and one count of theft from a motor vehicle when they appeared before senior Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sekai Chiundura.
Chepamanja and Kamupunga pleaded guilty to all six counts of robbery and one count of theft from a motor vehicle. They were being charged with robbery as defined in Section 126 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23 and theft from a motor vehicle as defined in Section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
On the robbery charges, the duo had been slapped with a 12-year jail term each, but five years were suspended on condition of good behaviour. They will serve an effective seven years behind bars.
On the theft from a motor vehicle charge, Chepamanja will serve an effective six months imprisonment, while Kamupunga will serve an effective eight months imprisonment. Chepamamnja and Kamupunga’s co-accused Wonder Mareni (30) who was on the run at the time of their arrest has since been nabbed and appeared in court before Mrs Chiundura.
Mareni pleaded guilty to five counts of robbery and was remanded in custody to July 25 for sentencing. Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted. The court heard that the three would lure unsuspecting hitch hikers, divert routes and rob them of their valuables before dumping them in secluded areas.
“On May 16, 2016 and at Megawatt House in Mutare, the trio was driving in a green Toyota Raum vehicle, Registration Number AEA 2265 when they picked up Clide Makaza who was waiting for transport to travel to Odzi.
“They then diverted the route and went towards Murambi indicating that the motor vehicle had developed a mechanical fault. When they eventually stopped, Mareni grabbed Makaza by the collar and ordered him to surrender all his belongings,” said Mr Karombe.
Makaza tried to resist, but Chepamanja and Kamupunga joined in and forcibly took a Nokia Lumia 520 and cash amounting to $22. They pushed him out of the vehicle and sped off.
Using the same antics, the trio robbed five other unsuspecting hitch hikers whom they prejudiced of cash amounting to $1 026. On June 22, Chepamamnja and Kamupunga hatched a plan to go and steal from Kudakwashe Murambanyika in Bordervale, Mutare.
Upon arrival, the pair climbed over the precast wall and gained entry into the complainant’s residence. The pair then proceeded to a parked Toyota truck and used an iron bar to remove two exide batteries from the battery compartment of the truck. They also took a blue tent which was also in the vehicle.
“They proceeded to a parked Nissan vehicle and took a size 13 wheel which was in the loading box,” said Mr Karombe. Total value stolen from Murambanyika was $250.
