Source: US$720 000 heist: 5 jailed 11 years each – herald
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo-Court Correspondent
FIVE members of a robbery gang that stole over US$745 000 from Quest Financial Services in Harare have each been jailed for an effective 11 years.
Washington Mangwanda (21), Brighton Chikukwa (27), Silence Matambo (27), Liberty Mukanganise (31) and Luke Zinyengere (28) were convicted of armed robbery following a full trial before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Jesse Kufa.
The court initially sentenced each of the gang members to 12 years’ imprisonment before suspending one year on condition of good behaviour on their eventual release.
So far, cash and goods totalling US$206 000 in value have been recovered was returned to Quest.
Zinyengere, who is not a first offender, was separately sentenced to another 22 years in prison in April last year for robbery and attempting to escape from lawful custody after he tried to flee from prison guards at the Harare Magistrates Court while attending proceedings in the just concluded trial.
Quest Financial Services was represented by its Head of Operations, Mr Daniel Mandizvidza.
Prosecutor in charge Ms Gossy Mudambu proved that on February 23, 2024, company officials secured the premises at 6 Rochester Road, Belgravia, Harare, before knocking off duty.
A vault containing US$744 676, R10 500, €120 and other valuables was locked, while security guard Lancelot Tashayawedu was assigned to guard the premises overnight.
At about 1 am on February 25, 2024, the gang and their accomplices, who are still at large, were armed with a revolver, an unidentified blank pistol, an electric drill, an iron bar and bolt cutters when storming the premises.
They cut through the perimeter fence and confronted Tashayawedu, who was asleep in a room at the back of the property. They threatened him with violence before tying him and his girlfriend up with electric cables.
They then used explosives to blast open the vault and stole US$ 744,676, R10,500, €120 and a 7.65mm CZ Vzor pistol.
The court heard that investigators recovered cash amounting to US$166 180, the stolen firearm, vehicles worth US$36 600 and other property valued at US$3 695, bringing the total value of recovered assets to US$206 475.
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