TWO men believed to be part of a syndicate targeting taxi operators have been jailed after hijacking two Honda Fit vehicles in Gwanda.
Anele Ncube (24) of Cowdray Park in Bulawayo and Ayibongwe Mathema (23) of Gwanda pleaded guilty to a robbery when they appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate Sithembiso Ndebele.
For the offences, Ncube was sentenced to 24 years in prison, while Mathema received a 12-year jail term.
Ncube also faced an additional robbery charge, which contributed to his longer sentence.
The court heard that on March 8 at around 8pm, the two men attacked Mandlenkosi Moyo and robbed him of his Honda Fit vehicle, cash and a mobile phone.
Prosecutor Ngonidzashe Shumba told the court that the accused, together with an accomplice who is still at large, stopped the complainant at Redcross Business Centre in Gwanda while he was driving his white Honda Fit.
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“The accused persons requested to hire the complainant’s vehicle to Skimo Lodge, pretending that they wanted to collect their colleagues,” the prosecution said.
The complainant agreed and drove them towards the lodge.
However, when they were a few metres away, the accused instructed him to stop the vehicle, claiming their friends would meet them there.
Mathema, who was seated behind the complainant, suddenly grabbed him by the neck and produced a knife from his trousers pocket.
The complainant tried to block the attack, but was slightly stabbed on the fingers.
Mathema then handed the knife to Ncube, who stabbed the complainant three times on the left hip and once on the left thigh.
The court heard that the pair tied the complainant’s hands and legs, placed him on the back seat and drove off towards Bulawayo.
Along the way, they stopped the vehicle, pulled the complainant out and fled with the car, which was valued at US$4 500, together with US$28 and R150 in cash.
The complainant later managed to free himself and reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the suspects and recovery of the stolen vehicle.
In a separate incident on March 5, Ncube, together with another accomplice Makhosi Ngwenya, who is still at large, attacked Bayanda Moyo and robbed him of his Honda Fit, cash and a mobile phone.
The court was told that the complainant had been parked at Famous Bar in Gwanda at around 10pm when the two men approached him pretending they wanted to hire his vehicle to Bina Mine to collect their families.
While travelling, one of the suspects asked the complainant to stop the vehicle, claiming he wanted to make a phone call.
After stepping out, the accomplice who remained in the car also got out and grabbed the complainant by the neck and strangled him.
The complainant managed to escape, leaving behind his vehicle and belongings.
The suspects drove off towards Bulawayo, but later abandoned the car after it developed a mechanical fault.
The incident was reported to the police, resulting in the recovery of the vehicle and the complainant’s mobile phone.
Following the incidents, police in Matabeleland South have launched an awareness campaign after a spike in thefts of Honda Fit and Toyota FunCargo vehicles targeting taxi operators in Gwanda district.
Motorists have been urged to exercise caution when picking up passengers, especially at night.