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Thandeka Moyo  Court Reporter
TWO men were each sentenced to 26 effective years imprisonment yesterday for attempted murder and armed robbery.
Richard Fambirai, 32 and Bruce Ziyambi, 36, masqueraded as Zesa officials who were checking on meters and went around harassing and robbing Bulawayo residents in 2013.

They shot one of their victims in the abdomen, but she survived.

The crimes were committed together with Daniel Nkosi and Zhulani Ndlovu.

Ndlovu was acquitted while Nkosi is receiving treatment after he was declared mentally unsound.

In his ruling, senior regional magistrate Mark   Dzira noted that even though the identification  parade was not done properly, the state’s case was still strong.

“For the two counts of attempted murder, you’re sentenced to 10 years each for a single count and to 12 years for armed robbery,” said Dzira.

He said the court would suspend six years for both for five years on condition of good behaviour, leaving an effective 26-year jail term.
In his defence, Fambirai told the court that he was arrested while on his way to undergo HIV testing.

He said he did not rob or shoot at anyone.

Ziyambi said he was arrested for a different crime and that police had mistakenly charged him with armed robbery and attempted murder.

Prosecuting, Tinashe Dzipe said driving in two separate vehicles, the gang proceeded to a flat situated along Josiah Tongogara Street.

It is alleged that Fambirai and Ziyambi entered the flat while two others remained outside.

When they found two women outside doing laundry, they pointed firearms at them before force-marching them into the apartment.

They allegedly shot Aisha Moosa Lunat in the abdomen to silence her after she asked the two women what was going on.

The court was told that the four went to the third floor of the building and met Najma Lunat whom they threatened with a gun and demanded cash.

Ndlovu, Fambirai, Ziyambi and Nkosi force-marched her into her bedroom and ransacked the room and stole $20 and jewellery.

Lunat phoned her husband, Ahmed Lunat, informing him about the armed robbery.

When her husband arrived, the armed robbers escaped from the scene.

Lunat’s husband gave chase in his vehicle and Nkosi shot at him and shattered the left rear passenger window, the court was told.

Police were tipped-off and gave chase and shot Nkosi who had dropped a set of silver bangles stolen from the flat.

Ndlovu, Fambirai, Ziyambi and Moyo were later arrested after raiding a house in Burnside on the same day.

At the house, the court was told that Ndlovu, Moyo and Ziyambi tied two domestic workers with strings before stealing a money safe with $200, a ring, jewellery and a revolver. After their arrest, the suspects led detectives to Burnside and Suburbs where they had hidden the firearms.