MILLICENT HUNGWE
Gift Maphosa (36), of Number 50 Dulibadzimu in Beitbridge, and Mpokiseng Dube (27), of Siyoka Village under Chief Stauze in Beitbridge, were convicted on three counts of armed robbery and were each sentenced to an effective 144 years in prison.
This followed a violent armed robbery spree in Mwenezi where one victim was injured, on December 13, 2024.
According to a press statement by the ZRP Masvingo Province Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa, the two accused blocked roads with stones at night to ambush unsuspecting travelers.
Once the vehicles were forced to stop, the duo would emerge from the shadows, brandishing pistols and threatening victims, in one of the incidents, they shot and injured a traveler while forcibly taking property.
Their crime spree was cut short when detectives from CID Mwenezi linked Maphosa to the robberies.
He was arrested, which later led to the apprehension of Dube in Beitbridge on February 22, 2025.
On June 30, 2025, the two were brought before Magistrate Judith Zuyu and Public Prosecutor Tanyaradzwa Tinarwo at Chiredzi Regional Magistrate Court.
They were found guilty and sentenced to 144 years imprisonment each.
In a statement, Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri, the Community Relations Liaison Officer with the Criminal Investigation Department, expressed gratitude to the public for providing credible information that helped police solve the case.
