Bulawayo man sentenced to 10 years for carjacking and assault

A 22-year-old man from Bulawayo, Respect Khumalo Nyoni, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for assault and carjacking after he, along with two accomplices, attacked a taxi driver and stole his vehicle.

Nyoni was sentenced earlier this week after pleading guilty to the charges. The court heard that on October 1, 2024, Nyoni and his two alleged accomplices, Wisdom Musundire and Precautious Moyo, who are still at large, hired taxi driver Alec Siziba to drive them from Old Luveve to Bulawayo's city centre.

During the journey, Nyoni and his partners launched a violent attack on Siziba. They grabbed him from behind, strangling him while simultaneously taking control of the vehicle. The attackers then tied the victim's wrists and ankles with ropes before forcing him into the cramped boot of his gold Toyota Funcargo.

After securing Siziba, the suspects drove the vehicle for approximately 100 kilometers to Filabusi. There, they abandoned the taxi driver near the Esidilini turn-off before fleeing with the vehicle.

The court proceedings revealed the full extent of the violent carjacking, and Nyoni was handed a lengthy sentence as a result. Authorities are still searching for his accomplices, Musundire and Moyo, who remain at large.