Two Fawcett employeees jailed for US$305k robbery, one acquitted
By Dumisani Ndlovu
Zvishavane Regional Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa recently slapped Bongani Mapfumo (30), a Fawcett driver, and his accomplice Blessing Lizhu (39), who was not employed by Fawcett, with an 11 year prison term each for robbing the company cash US$305 000.
A senior Fawcett security company employees in charge of cash-in-transit, Langelihle Moyo (43) was freed after a full trial and spending three years in remand prison.
However, Magistrate Mugwagwa suspended one year for good behaviour and another four years on condition that each of them restitute Fawcett security company with USD 134 255 by August 29, 2024.
“After conviction, you are sentenced to 11 years one year suspended for good behaviour.Further four years are suspended on condition that you restitute Fawcett within the prescribed time. Failuire of which the suspended four years will be added to the effective six years in prison if you two fail to pay restitution to Fawcett as directed by the courts, ” the Regional Court Magistrate, Mugwagwa.
She said that the state had proven its case beyond any reasonable doubt, highlighting the manner in which the convictees, Mapfumo and Lizhu had collaborated to rob the Fawcett security cash-in-transit vehicle and got away with a pistol at the 243km peg along Gweru-Harare Highway near Connemara.
The magistrate however exonerated Moyo citing lack of extenuating evidence that link Moyo with the robbery.
The Senior Magistrate ordered that the recovered USD18 780 be returned to Fawcett.
Public Prosecutor Vivian submitted that the crime was committed in aggravating circumstance hence deserved a deterrent sentence in order to send stern message to prospective criminals.
“The crime was committed in a premeditated and brazen act, characterized by inherent callousness.
The offenders have been convicted of a very serious crime of robbery which was committed in aggravating circumstances. It was no ordinary robbery as the perpetrators used riffles to threaten the lives of the security guards and heavily assaulted them,” she said.
The eloquent and articulate Prosecutor Chindedza further submitted that the robbery was contemptuous and degrading to the complainant, and make the company’s clients lose confidence and trust hence, likely to eventually lose business.
The accused particularly, accused number 2 has shown no remorse at all as he kept on pleading not guilty. Therefore, the court should severely deal with the accused and pass a deterrent sentence punishment,” added Chindedza.
The state counsel added that the incident left the victims with not only physical but also emotional scars as well as jeopardizing the future of their dependents as they had lost employment.
Aggred facts are that on November 25, 2021, along Harare-Bulawayo Road near Connemara Open Prison, Mapfumo connived with Lizhu and four accused persons still at large to ransack Fawcett’s vehicle loaded with Cash.
The court heard that Lizhu and his accomplices produced an AK47 rifle and a CZ pistol and pointed them to Fawcett security officers Emmanuel Nhamo and Thomas Chisambatsi while ordering them to remain silent. They then allegedly hit Nhamo with a spanner several times on the head, since he was refusing to cooperate, while another accused with a Tonga accent used a metal object to hit Chisambatsi on the head. The gang used a spanner to unlock the three cash box locks and started to load the money into their bags.
The court further heard that Lizhu and his gang jumped out of the vehicle, and force marched Mapfumo and Moyo to the back of the vehicle with their hands tied from the back.
During that time one of the accused persons took over the car and drove into the nearby bush. The court heard that Moyo then phoned Israel Mberengwa one of his superiors at Fawcett Bulawayo office informing him about the robbery. However, upon further interrogations by the police, Mapfumo who reported that they had been robbed by the police at the roadblock, changed his statement and implicated Lizhu as one of the robbers. On November 26, 2021, Lizhu was then apprehended in Bulawayo after he called his wife Josephine Ndlovu to bring US$18,780-00 cash which was confiscated by the state together with Itel phone used to communicate in the commission of the crime.
