SYDNEY MUBAIWA
GWERU – Stanley Makurumidze of Mkoba 6 suburb in the Midlands province capital has been sentenced to an effective 30-year jail term when he appeared before the Gweru Regional Magistrate Christopher Maturure on Wednesday after pleading guilty to four counts of armed robbery.
According to court proceedings, Makurumidze committed the offences together with three other accomplices in Gweru, getting away with cash and valuable assets with a total value of US$12 720.
Prosecuting Eggrina Matutu told the court that Makurumidze and his accomplices targeted their victims at night while armed with a pistol and iron bars between April and July, 2025.
The court heard that, Makurumidze together with his accomplice Wellington Chamunorwa Chiendambuya who is on police radar hatched a plan to rob Alfons Mapfumo in Mkoba getting away with US$800.
Makurumidze , Chiendambuya together with Maxwell Machina who is still at large pounced on Shingai Shumba’s homestead on May 24, 2025 armed with a pistol and iron bars.
They robbed the family US$400 cash, a laptop , five blankets, a pair of shoes, a Toyota Axio motor vehicle and groceries all valued US$9 550. They dumped the motor vehicle at Clonsila area where it was recovered.
The court further heard that, on an unknown date in July, 2025, the accused together with his accomplices used the same modus operandi to rob Kudzaishe Mutungamiri of Riverside suburb.
They threatened him with a pistol, iron bars, a wheel spanner and handcuffs before getting away with $320 cash and two iPhone 12 handsets.
They went on to rob another family in the same suburb, getting away with cash and valuables worth US$1300.
Makurumidze was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment, however Magistrate Maturure suspended five years on condition of good behaviour.
