A MEMBER of the Presidential guard was yesterday jailed for six years for conniving with a friend to rob a Bulawayo motorist of his vehicle and valuables.
Zvikomborero Sigudu (25) and Knowledge Ganda (21) stole $80 and two cellphones from Mr Tichaona Matekenya before speeding off in his vehicle.
Regional magistrate Mr Mark Dzira yesterday said Sigudu’s duty was to defend and protect members of the public from unruly elements in society.
“Your sentence must send a clear message that crime doesn’t pay. The court considered that you are first offenders who are family men,” said Mr Dzira.
“However, robbery remains a very serious crime and the courts must ensure public safety by sending away criminals like you. You are therefore sentenced to six years each in prison of which two years are suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.”
On May 5, Sigudu and Ganda hired Mr Matekenya to drive them to Donnington. They grabbed him along the way and bundled him into the back seat of his vehicle.
They covered him with a jacket and threatened to stab him.
Prosecuting, Mr Tinashe Dzipe, said: “At around 9PM, Sigudu and Ganda approached Mr Matekenya and asked to hire him to take them to the Old CSC Complex in Donnington for $4.
“He drove along Josiah Chinamano Street under the instruction of the two accused persons. Along the way, one of them asked Mr Matekenya to stop so that he could relieve himself,” said Mr Dzipe.
“After relieving himself, he grabbed Mr Matekenya by his neck and they ganged up on him, shoved him into the back seat as they demanded cash and valuables”. He said the two searched the car and stole two phones and $80.
“One of the men drove while the other covered Mr Matekenya with a jacket threatening to stab him if he made any noise. They dumped him in Emganwini suburb and drove off before abandoning the car in Nkulumane.”
Mr Dzipe said police recovered the stolen phone from one Nontobeko Ndlovu who had bought it from Sigudu. “On June 8, Sigudu was arrested at his workplace in Harare and he implicated Ganda,” he said.
