A 24-year-old University of Zimbabwe post-graduate student was last week slapped with a 10-year jail term for robbing a Pomona woman of her vehicle two years ago.
Grammer Nyahuna of Avondale, Harare, was studying for a Masters in Business Administration degree when he teamed up with his colleagues to venture into a criminal enterprise.
According to prosecutor Oliver Marwa, on March 26 2009, Nyahuna and his accomplices, who are still at large and whose names were not mentioned in court, stalked Tarisai Marungwe on the day in question.
Nyahuna and his gang were driving a Toyota Rav 4 vehicle when they trailed Marungwe from town until they reached 12 Envenrery Road, Pomona, where they parked 100 metres from her gate.
When Marungwe got out of her car intending to open the gate, she left the engine running and Nyahuna, acting together with his accomplices, seized the opportunity and pounced on her.
The robbers stood by the vehicle doors and warned Marungwe not to raise alarm after indicating to her they were armed with guns.
They stole the vehicle and drove away, but three weeks later, police raided Nyahuna’s house in Avondale while investigating another matter and they coincidentally recovered the stolen Mazda 3, locked in a garage. Nyahuna was arrested and appeared before regional magistrate Clever Tsikwa facing a charge of robbery.
Although Nyahuna pleaded not guilty to the charge, he was convicted on circumstantial evidence. He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. Three years were suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving him to serve an effective seven-year jail term.
