Ivayinerudo Magarazano
Chiredzi-Blue Circle bus armed robber has been slapped with 84 years in jail by Chiredzi Magistrate Judith Zuyu on Wednesday.
Saul Dadirai (23) an armed robber was convicted on his own guilty plea when he appeared before Chiredzi Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu for his role in the robbery of passengers on board a South Africa Blue Circle Bus on July 18.
The court heard that Dadirai and his accomplices who include a serving member of the Zimbabwe National Army based at Inkomo Barracks, Pheneas Shumba, on 17 July 2024 boarded Blue Circle bus at Mbudzi Bus terminus in Harare. However, their intentions were far from innocent.
His other accomplices are Ashton Siziva(26) who stays at village7 Peterwen Mkwasine Chiredzi, Talent Mlaudzi(20) who stays at village 19 under Chief Sitauze, Zezani Beitbridge and are denying the charges
Court heard that around 4:00 am the next morning, Shumba asked the conductor to stop at Vilivili Bus stop, where Elphase Mugudugudze, who is still at large, entered the bus armed with a C75 9mm pistol.
Siziva then pointed the gun at the driver, ordering him to drive to a secluded spot off the Masvingo Beitbridge road, where Mlaudzi and Dadirai joined in the robbery, using Okapi knives to threaten passengers.
The group made off with a total of R66,170-00, US$5932-00, and ZwG10.
Only R7000 and US$550 was recovered.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to the recovery of spent cartridges and the arrest of Siziva, Dadirai, and Shumba, who were found with the stolen money and weapons.
Mlaudzi was arrested the following day, and witnesses later identified the accused in a parade.
Ballistic examination matched the recovered pistol with the spent cartridges.
While Dadirai pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a record 84 years, Siziva, Mlaudzi, and Shumba denied the charges and are set to appear in court on September 11, 2024, for trial continuation.
