News / Regional
Soldier robs miners
06 Apr 2014 at 11:49hrs | Views
A SOLDIER stationed in Binga, who absconded from duty and fled to Mangwe District, has been jailed for robbing miners from Mpoengs.
Douglas Mkombwe (27) was found guilty of robbing Dumisani Ncube (29) and Good Hope Sala (26) of property worth R14 000 under the pretence of being a police officer.
Mkombwe denied the allegations but was, however, convicted by Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa due to overwhelming evidence.
He was found in possession of a police identity card which he used to rob the miners.
Ruvetsa slapped Mkombwe with a 12-month jail sentence for stealing from the miners. He also ordered him to pay $300 for impersonating a police officer. In case of default he will spend 30 days in prison.
Mkombwe was in the company of another person when the offence was committed. His accomplice is still on the run.
The pair approached the miners in two separate incidents on November 28 last year and pretended to be police officers who were conducting an anti-illegal gold panning operation and demanded money from them.
Prosecuting, Mr Stanley Chinyanyanya said: "On November 28 around 4pm the pair arrived at Bush Stick Stamp Mill, Simelemela area Mpoengs where they met the first complainant, Ncube. They told him that they were police officers from Bulawayo conducting an operation.
"They searched Ncube and took R4 000 and they told him that it was unlawful to carry a large amount of money while in a mining area.
"They met Sala around 6pm on the same day at Old Bush Stick Stamp Mill in Makhubu area, Mpoengs. Mkombwe and his partner ordered him to empty his pockets and show them all his valuables.
"They robbed him of R9 000, $90, a cellphone and they also took his national identity card. A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Mkombwe."
Mkombwe was initially arrested with a suspected accomplice, Dudman Mleya (20) but Mleya was acquitted after the State failed to find substantive evidence against him.
During the trial it also emerged that Mkombwe had been deployed in Binga but had absconded from duty for two months and was fleeing his superiors.
Douglas Mkombwe (27) was found guilty of robbing Dumisani Ncube (29) and Good Hope Sala (26) of property worth R14 000 under the pretence of being a police officer.
Mkombwe denied the allegations but was, however, convicted by Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa due to overwhelming evidence.
He was found in possession of a police identity card which he used to rob the miners.
Ruvetsa slapped Mkombwe with a 12-month jail sentence for stealing from the miners. He also ordered him to pay $300 for impersonating a police officer. In case of default he will spend 30 days in prison.
Mkombwe was in the company of another person when the offence was committed. His accomplice is still on the run.
Prosecuting, Mr Stanley Chinyanyanya said: "On November 28 around 4pm the pair arrived at Bush Stick Stamp Mill, Simelemela area Mpoengs where they met the first complainant, Ncube. They told him that they were police officers from Bulawayo conducting an operation.
"They searched Ncube and took R4 000 and they told him that it was unlawful to carry a large amount of money while in a mining area.
"They met Sala around 6pm on the same day at Old Bush Stick Stamp Mill in Makhubu area, Mpoengs. Mkombwe and his partner ordered him to empty his pockets and show them all his valuables.
"They robbed him of R9 000, $90, a cellphone and they also took his national identity card. A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Mkombwe."
Mkombwe was initially arrested with a suspected accomplice, Dudman Mleya (20) but Mleya was acquitted after the State failed to find substantive evidence against him.
During the trial it also emerged that Mkombwe had been deployed in Binga but had absconded from duty for two months and was fleeing his superiors.
Source - Sunday News
