Soldier uses army expertise to carjack

A Bulawayo soldier reportedly used his military expertise in teaming up with a tout to carjack a vehicle outside Hustlers Bar recently.

The incident that left onlookers bemused, happened on Unity Day on 22 December.

Frank Thabani Gombiro (21), of Pumula East has a rank of Lance Corporal at 1.1 Combat Group, who is a gunner stationed at Imbizo Barracks on the outskirts of Bulawayo allegedly ganged up with Petros Mpala (23) to steal the vehicle.

Their luck ran out when they were arrested at the Kalawa Show, which they attended using the stolen car.

In the movie style drama that ensued on the day of the robbery, the two snatched the Toyota Corolla, with the complainant's 18-year-old son, who was dead drunk, sleeping in the back seat.

The pair reportedly threw him out of the vehicle at the corner of Lobengula Street and 13th Avenue. They pleaded guilty to theft of a car before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mark Dzira yesterday.

Dzira sentenced each of them to an effective six years in jail after two years were suspended on condition that they did not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

Gombiro left the gallery in stitches when he accused the devil of tempting them to steal the car. He later changed his statement, saying they intended to return it to the owner, after using it. For the State, Tinashe Dzipe, said on 22 December at about 10.15pm, the complainant from Montgomery parked his car in front of the night club and he went inside to drink beer.

He said when the complainant wanted to drive off, his car would not start and he asked Gombiro for help.

"Gombiro entered the corolla to turn on the ignition key while the complainant checked on the battery. In movie style, when the car finally started, Mpala jumped inside and Gombiro sped off leaving the owner startled on the scene," said Dzipe.

The soldier allegedly drove to Cowdray Park and dropped his accomplice at his house before driving to Pumula East car park where he parked the car for the night.

For five days, the car was parked at a car park and Gombiro would pay a $1 for it each night as parking fees. The two men ran out of luck on Friday night when they drove to Queen's Sports Club for the Kalawa Home Coming Show in the car and a friend of the complainant spotted it parked along 1st Avenue.

Following a tip-off, police arrested Gombiro and Mpala during the night and the vehicle was recovered.

Gombiro led the police to his house where the complainant's handset was recovered but without a line while his son's handset was recovered from a kombi that Mpala was using to commute but also without a line.