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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
TWO Beitbridge men were yesterday each jailed for an effective six years for breaking into a police detective’s house, handcuffing and assaulting him before stealing property worth $1,412.

Simon Machato, 24, and Lovemore Taurai Sam Ruvengo, 32, all of Dulibadzimu suburb, were convicted on their own plea of guilty when they appeared before magistrate Innocent Bepura charged with two counts of robbery.

Their third accomplice Russell Tanaka Wamiridza, 23, who also resides in the same suburb, is expected to stand trial today after he denied the charges.

Machato and Ruvengo where slapped with five and one year imprisonment sentences for the two counts of robbery respectively.

Prosecuting, Llyod Mupfungidza said on October 7 this year, their victim Detective Nothani Nyoni retired to bed after he secured his premises by locking the main gate and closing windows and locking all doors to his house in the New Medium density suburb.

He said at around 1AM on October 8, Machato and his two accomplices broke into the premises after creating a hole in the security fence.

The court further heard that when the trio got into the yard, they smashed a window to the kitchen and gained entry. They then sprayed Nyoni, who had been awoken by the noise of breaking glass, with pepper spray.

He said they then dragged him to his bedroom where they handcuffed him from behind using his handcuffs they found in his wardrobe.
Machato and Ruvengo then assaulted the detectives while Wamiridza stood guard outside.

They then took away property including a television set, five cell phones, a laptop and digital video player. The property was worth $1,374.

The duo later proceeded to a room where the house maid was sleeping and took away a cell phone worth $38 after threatening to beat up the woman if she screamed to alert people.

They then disappeared into the darkness but were arrested two days later. All the property was recovered.