Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The two notorious armed robbers who were last year arrested in connection with a murder case and 26 robbery cases committed along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Highway, were yesterday each jailed for an effective 20 years.

The duo that is believed to be part of a four-man gang had unleashed terror on motorists on a 40km radius along the Beitbridge-Masvingo and Beitbridge-Bulawayo highways.

Taurai Gwande alias Tawanda Musekwa or Giant (30) and Boniface Mushavati alias Moyo, were arrested in Mvuma and Masvingo on Christmas Day last year following a tip off.

The other gang members Clive Shumba and Lehlohonolo Moyo, were arrested in November in the border town and are also on trial on separate robbery charges.

Gwanda and Mushavati were jointly charged on 26 counts of armed robbery, but other cases were dropped after the complainants failed to show up at the courts for several times.

The accused persons were left with nine counts of armed robbery and one of murder.

Both Gwande and Mushavati had pleaded not guilty to the initial related five counts of armed robbery, but Mr Joseph Maveza convicted them on the strength of overwhelming evidence.

They had initially been slapped with 30 years imprisonment, but were left with 20 after Mr Maveza conditionally suspended the other 10 for five years.

The two will have to stand trial again on Monday for other four cases of armed robbery.

Prosecuting the case Mr Johannes Tlou said the gang committed the crimes between 9 May and 19 December last year.

He said in most cases the accused persons drove donkeys onto the road, resulting in motorists reducing speed to avoid hitting the animals.

They would then pierce the vehicles’ tyres with sharp objects to cause punctures and pounce on the victims as they came out to attend to the problem.

The gang targeted cash, groceries, cell phones, lap tops and other electrical gadgets.

The court further heard that on 19 December, Gwande and Mushavati killed a 29 year old man who had been in the company of his girlfriend in a car parked near St Joseph Primary school in Beitbridge.

However, luck ran put on Christmas Day when Gwande was arrested in Mvuma following a tip off.

This led to the arrest of Mushavati and the recovery of the stolen goods in Masvingo.

Police recovered two axes, a machete, and some work suits, iron bar, a torch which the gang used in committing the offences.

They (police) also recovered; seven solar panels, six amplifiers, six cell phones, two disco speakers, one generator, two solar batteries, an assortment of groceries and clothing items.