Shot robbery, rape gangster ready for trial

A MEMBER of a 10-man gang that terrorised residents of Cowdray Park and Luveve suburbs in Bulawayo last year, who was shot while fleeing arrest, has recovered and is set to stand trial.

Eight members of the gang were in January this year sentenced to a total of 629 years for 90 robbery and rape crimes.

One of the gang members is still at large.

Regional magistrate Mr Tranos Utahwashe yesterday remanded the final member of the gang, Hillary Dube (26), to July 29 in absentia.

Dube, who faces five counts of robbery and one of unlawful entry, failed to appear in court due to an alleged paperwork mix up.

Prosecuting, Mr Robin Mukura said Dube was with six gang members when he hit Misheck Moyo and took his phone, $5, a wallet and his clothes.

"Dube worked in common purpose with Nqobizitha Ncube, Buyani Dlamini, Milton Ndlovu, Lewis Ndlovu, Stanford Dlamini and Mlungisi Maphosa. They pounced on Mr Levi Masamvi on January 16 and stopped his car before shoving him into the boot," he said.

Mr Mukura said the men searched the car, took $14, clothes and two cellphones and tied up Mr Masamvi before driving off in his car.

"Dube went on to attack Mpikelelo Mthombeni, a security guard at Luveve High School and asked him to lead the gang to where school funds were kept. They snatched his phone, baton, catapult and work keys and went away," he said.

Mr Mukura said Dube went to Misheck Tshuma, a teacher at the same school and robbed him of household property and clothes and went away.

In January, the eight gangsters aged between 21 and 36 years, pleaded guilty to charges which included multiple counts of rape, robbery, unlawful entry and carjacking.

Three regional magistrates, Mrs Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze, Mr Mark Dzira and Mr Chrispen Mberewere took turns to preside over the cases divided into 10 records.

Mr Mberewere declared that for once, residents of Luveve, Cowdray Park and surrounding areas would have a peaceful night knowing that justice had taken its course.

The mastermind of the 10-man gang and eldest, Nqobizitha Ncube (36), of Old Pumula, who took part in almost all the crimes, was incarcerated for an effective 166 years.

The youngest members of the gang, Lewis Ndlovu (21) of Nugget Mine in Matopos, and Milton Ndlovu (23) of Silobela, Lower Gweru, were each jailed for 34 years.

Buyani was slapped with an effective 122 years in jail, while Stanford and Gift got 85 years and 18 years respectively.

To a stunned gallery, Mlungisi Maphosa ( 24) revealed that he was a father of five children with different women and was expecting his sixth child with his heavily pregnant wife.

His children will not see him home for the next 58 years — if he is still alive. He would be 82 then.

Maphosa's address was listed as Baines Junior Primary School — although he is not thought to be an employee of the school.

"In coming up with your sentence, the court considered that you pleaded guilty to all counts and did not waste time.

"However, as the old saying goes, 'crime does not pay', and there's no doubt you deserve a deterrent sentence," Mr Dzira told the vile criminal gang during sentencing.

Mr Dzira sent away Ncube, Buyani and Nkiwane to a total of 28 years for three counts of robbery and handed over to magistrate Mrs Msipa-Marondedze.

Mrs Msipa-Marondedze sentenced Ncube, Buyani and Nkiwane to 26 effective years each for gang-raping and robbing a woman in a bushy area near Luveve cemetery on December 11.