News / National
Zimbabwe Prison Services investigates smuggling of poison into court
29 Mar 2013 at 22:48hrs | Views
Learnmore Muza (24) was on Tuesday convicted of two counts of robbery. He however, gulped an unknown liquid and passed out in court.
It could not be established where Muza obtained the liquid that was in a 500ml bottle.
Zimbabwe Prison Services spokesperson Superintendent Elizabeth Banda said investigations were underway.
"We are taking the matter seriously and investigations are underway within our internal systems to establish what exactly transpired. It is within our procedures that accused persons are to searched before entering the courtroom."
She said the ZPS would deal with anyone who could have missed the liquid.
"What if it was a gun? Heaven knows what could have happened. We cannot jeopardise the lives of people who will be in court, including the magistrate, therefore this matter is being taken seriously," she said.
Supt Banda said Muza could have brought the liquid from remand prison or could have taken it from the court's holding cells.
She said his waste and the container were taken to the lab to ascertain the kind of "poison'' he drank.
Meanwhile, magistrate Ms Fadzai Mthombeni yesterday sentenced Muza to 20 years in prison.
Three years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Ms Mthombeni said, "Now that you attempted to sentence yourself and the Heavens refused, I am now going to sentence you. In this case complainants were threatened by a knife hence the nature of this offence calls for a maximum sentence provided by the law."
Muza appeared to be very sick and could not even stand on his feet. He was even struggling to lift his head and his sentence was passed while he was seated.
He told journalists that he took the "toilet dip'' from the court's holding cells and hid it in his pants.
Prosecutor Ms Valery Ngoma told the court that on April 16 last year, Muza and his colleague Tapera Maturiro who has since been convicted and is serving an 18-year-jail term approached a taxi driver, Nesbert Chizhanje at Tipperary's
Night Club in the city and hired him to take them to Chitungwiza.
However, as they approached Sunningdale, Maturiro produced a knife, grabbed Chizhanje by the neck and ordered him to stop.
The duo then tied Chizhanje's hands and legs with tape, stole his $60 and phone, before throwing him out of the vehicle which they later sold to one Nyasha Mangezi for $1 800.
A month later, the duo pounced on Richard Kanyongo whom they called on the business numbers displayed on his car and invited him to Belvedere in Harare.
When Kanyongo got to Belvedere, Muza got into the car, produced a knife and threatened him with death if he did not comply.
They secured Kanyongo's hands and legs with sellotape and seat belt before robbing him of $120 cash, a cellphone and the car.
They stripped the car of various parts for resale before setting the shell ablaze in Epworth.
It could not be established where Muza obtained the liquid that was in a 500ml bottle.
Zimbabwe Prison Services spokesperson Superintendent Elizabeth Banda said investigations were underway.
"We are taking the matter seriously and investigations are underway within our internal systems to establish what exactly transpired. It is within our procedures that accused persons are to searched before entering the courtroom."
She said the ZPS would deal with anyone who could have missed the liquid.
"What if it was a gun? Heaven knows what could have happened. We cannot jeopardise the lives of people who will be in court, including the magistrate, therefore this matter is being taken seriously," she said.
Supt Banda said Muza could have brought the liquid from remand prison or could have taken it from the court's holding cells.
She said his waste and the container were taken to the lab to ascertain the kind of "poison'' he drank.
Meanwhile, magistrate Ms Fadzai Mthombeni yesterday sentenced Muza to 20 years in prison.
Three years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Ms Mthombeni said, "Now that you attempted to sentence yourself and the Heavens refused, I am now going to sentence you. In this case complainants were threatened by a knife hence the nature of this offence calls for a maximum sentence provided by the law."
Muza appeared to be very sick and could not even stand on his feet. He was even struggling to lift his head and his sentence was passed while he was seated.
He told journalists that he took the "toilet dip'' from the court's holding cells and hid it in his pants.
Prosecutor Ms Valery Ngoma told the court that on April 16 last year, Muza and his colleague Tapera Maturiro who has since been convicted and is serving an 18-year-jail term approached a taxi driver, Nesbert Chizhanje at Tipperary's
Night Club in the city and hired him to take them to Chitungwiza.
However, as they approached Sunningdale, Maturiro produced a knife, grabbed Chizhanje by the neck and ordered him to stop.
The duo then tied Chizhanje's hands and legs with tape, stole his $60 and phone, before throwing him out of the vehicle which they later sold to one Nyasha Mangezi for $1 800.
A month later, the duo pounced on Richard Kanyongo whom they called on the business numbers displayed on his car and invited him to Belvedere in Harare.
When Kanyongo got to Belvedere, Muza got into the car, produced a knife and threatened him with death if he did not comply.
They secured Kanyongo's hands and legs with sellotape and seat belt before robbing him of $120 cash, a cellphone and the car.
They stripped the car of various parts for resale before setting the shell ablaze in Epworth.
Source - Herald
