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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
A 35-YEAR-OLD suspected armed robber connived with four accomplices who are still at large and robbed a Beitbridge man of R14 000 and three cellphones at gunpoint.

The suspects, who were travelling in a Honda Fit, abandoned their car near the crime scene after the complainant’s neighbours cornered them soon after the robbery.

This emerged when Jerry Matumbu, through his lawyers Legal Aid Directorate, filed an application for bail pending appeal against conviction and sentence at the Bulawayo High Court.

Matumbu, who was recently sentenced to an effective eight years in jail for armed robbery by Beitbridge regional magistrate Stanley Mambanje, is challenging his conviction and sentence.

In papers before the court, he cited the State as a respondent.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Christopher Dube-Banda dismissed Matumbu’s application, saying it lacked prospects of success thus making the applicant a flight risk if released on bail.

“I take the view that the applicant did not discharge the onus resting upon him of showing that it would be in the interest of justice to release him on bail at this stage. The applicant has not proffered any positive grounds allowing him to proceed on bail,” he said.

Justice Dube-Banda said there was no guarantee that if released on bail, Matumbu would not abscond.

“In my view, the prospects of a prison term coupled with his fresh experience of post-trial incarceration, affords abundant incentive for him to abscond.

“In the circumstances, there is a likelihood that applicant will be tempted to abscond. In the result, the application for bail is refused and applicant shall remain in custody,” ruled the judge.

In his bail statement, Matumbu argued that he was not a flight risk and had prospects of success on appeal.

He said the State failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

He said the trial court erred by convicting him, arguing that the analysis of all the evidence led by State witnesses showed that there were too many discrepancies.

“From the evidence adduced there is no direct link between the applicant and the offence. With this evidence, it is humbly submitted that it was unsafe for the lower court to convict,” argued Matumbu.

The State, which was represented by Mr Blessing Gundani did not oppose the application, arguing that Matumbu was proper candidate for bail.

He said Matumbu’s appeal had prospects of success on appeal hence there was no risk of abscondment if he is released on bail.

According to court papers, it was stated that on July 19 last year, Matumbu connived with four others still at large and went to Mr Kurureni Mukwena’s homestead in Makakavhule Village in Beitbridge driving a silver Honda Fit.
Upon arrival, the accused persons parked their car near the complainant’s home.

They used an unknown object to force open the complainant’s bedroom door to gain entry and demanded cash from Mukwena at gunpoint.

They robbed him of R14 000 and three cellphones after which Matumbu went outside to collect his Honda Fit leaving his accomplices still inside looting other goods.

Matumbu was however, confronted by Mukwena’s neighbours as he was driving away from the scene of the crime and they followed him for a distance of about 6KM.

Upon realising that they were catching up with him, Matumbu got out of the car and took to his heels and disappeared into the bush.

Villagers followed him and managed to apprehend him before handing him over to the police leading to his arrest.
Police searched the Honda Fit and recovered two machetes, three stolen cellphones.

The money was however, not recovered. The other four suspects are still on the run. @mashnets