News / Regional
Jailed armed robber gets additional 10 years
19 Apr 2016 at 01:43hrs | Views
ONE of the robbers who wore army camouflage and police uniforms to terrorise businesspeople and white farmers at gun-point, will spend the next 63 years behind bars after a Gweru magistrate added 10 to his jail term.
Metron Chongani Makamba of Bangala Ranch, Chiredzi, already had a 53-year jail term imposed on him by a Masvingo magistrate for robberies committed in Masvingo province when he appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate Morgan Nemadire facing attempted robbery charges.
He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Safago Farm in Shurugwi, the Midlands province last year. Magistrate Nemadire sentenced him to 10 years in prison and suspended two years on condition of good behaviour. Makamba's alleged accomplice is on the run while Knowledge Jonasi was acquitted.
The magistrate said he had considered that Makamba was already in prison serving a 53-year jail term for six counts of robbery imposed by Masvingo Regional Magistrate Collet Ncube in September last year.
"You're already in prison serving 53 years on six counts of robbery, you also committed the crime wearing a police officer's uniform pretending to be a police officer. Attempted robbery is just the same as robbery, hence I'll sentence you to 10 years in prison," said Nemadire.
Prosecuting, Kelvin Guvheya told the court that, on July 6 last year, Makamba and other accomplices while putting on police uniforms awakened farm workers and locked them in a room having confiscated their cellphones after introducing themselves as police officers.
"The accused persons then force-marched three of the workers to the owner of the farm, Edwin David Shaw's house and ordered them to break the door while Makamba and Jonasi were holding pistols," said Guvheya.
They demanded cash and pistols from the farm-owner and Makamba ordered workers to open a Chubb safe, but they failed.
They then took a bunch of keys and tied one of the workers Innocent Mabuto's hands and shoved him into their vehicle before driving away. They later dumped him at Guinea Fowl Primary School.
Last year, Makamba, and Energy Jonasi, 24, of Taruvinga Village under Chief Bota, Zaka, were jailed for a combined 104 years for their reign of terror in Masvingo province that, among other hits, saw them storming Berejena Police camp where they robbed a duty officer of his uniform.
Makamba and Energy pleaded guilty to 16 counts of armed robbery and one of attempted murder in a crime spree in which they stole $70,000.
In one raid, they force-marched more than 30 farm workers into a room and assaulted them with sjamboks. The gang then ransacked the farmhouse and went away with $5,000 and guns after presenting themselves as police officers checking for firearm licences.
Metron Chongani Makamba of Bangala Ranch, Chiredzi, already had a 53-year jail term imposed on him by a Masvingo magistrate for robberies committed in Masvingo province when he appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate Morgan Nemadire facing attempted robbery charges.
He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Safago Farm in Shurugwi, the Midlands province last year. Magistrate Nemadire sentenced him to 10 years in prison and suspended two years on condition of good behaviour. Makamba's alleged accomplice is on the run while Knowledge Jonasi was acquitted.
The magistrate said he had considered that Makamba was already in prison serving a 53-year jail term for six counts of robbery imposed by Masvingo Regional Magistrate Collet Ncube in September last year.
"You're already in prison serving 53 years on six counts of robbery, you also committed the crime wearing a police officer's uniform pretending to be a police officer. Attempted robbery is just the same as robbery, hence I'll sentence you to 10 years in prison," said Nemadire.
Prosecuting, Kelvin Guvheya told the court that, on July 6 last year, Makamba and other accomplices while putting on police uniforms awakened farm workers and locked them in a room having confiscated their cellphones after introducing themselves as police officers.
"The accused persons then force-marched three of the workers to the owner of the farm, Edwin David Shaw's house and ordered them to break the door while Makamba and Jonasi were holding pistols," said Guvheya.
They demanded cash and pistols from the farm-owner and Makamba ordered workers to open a Chubb safe, but they failed.
They then took a bunch of keys and tied one of the workers Innocent Mabuto's hands and shoved him into their vehicle before driving away. They later dumped him at Guinea Fowl Primary School.
Last year, Makamba, and Energy Jonasi, 24, of Taruvinga Village under Chief Bota, Zaka, were jailed for a combined 104 years for their reign of terror in Masvingo province that, among other hits, saw them storming Berejena Police camp where they robbed a duty officer of his uniform.
Makamba and Energy pleaded guilty to 16 counts of armed robbery and one of attempted murder in a crime spree in which they stole $70,000.
In one raid, they force-marched more than 30 farm workers into a room and assaulted them with sjamboks. The gang then ransacked the farmhouse and went away with $5,000 and guns after presenting themselves as police officers checking for firearm licences.
Source - chronicle
