3 Bulawayo men sentenced to total 48 years in prison for robbing Econet

Three Bulawayo men have been sentenced to long prison terms for a brazen series of robberies targeting Econet Wireless cell towers. Themba Moyo (55), Carlton Ndlovu (44) and Tshidzani Mpofu (33) were each sentenced to a total of 48 years or 16 years in prison and fined $600 by Bulawayo District judge Ms Dambudzo Malunga.

However, the trio will effectively serve 10 years in prison after the magistrate suspended the sentence for six years, taking into account mitigating factors such as their status as heads of the family and breadwinners. Another three-year suspension is contingent on reimbursing Econet Wireless in the amount of $2,000 for damages caused. An additional six-month prison sentence or $600 fine was imposed for selling diesel without the required license or permit.

The magistrate’s decision emphasized the gravity of the crimes committed.

“Criminals traumatized security guards by tying them up with cable wires and robbing them. They caused great damage to Econet by stealing large quantities of diesel. Moreover, dangerous weapons were used in the commission of the crime. “They deserve a prison sentence without the option of a fine,” he said.

The court found the crimes heinous, citing not only the sabotage of the Econet Wireless infrastructure but also the disruption of the service provided to its users. The prosecution presented compelling evidence linking the trio to the crimes, including the recovery of stolen goods.

The prosecution, led by Mr Owen Mugari, detailed the events of May 27 when the trio, arriving in a silver gray Honda Fit driven by Mpofu, targeted an Econet cell tower in the suburb of Rangemore. Armed with a wrench and bolt cutters, Moyo and Ndlovu overpowered the security guard, binding his hands and feet with cable ties before stealing two Itel mobile phones.

“They forced the security guard to walk to a secluded area about 30 to 40 meters from the base station and ordered him to lie on the ground,” Mr. Mugari said. The duo then broke into the base station using a key to dump 900 liters of diesel fuel. This stolen fuel was then transported to the suburb of Emakhandeni and sold to fuel dealers – Mr Itayi Yekeye, Mr Dumisile Nkiwane and Ms Perseverance Hove.

A major breakthrough in the investigation came with the cooperation of one of the accused, which led police to recover 1,020 liters of diesel with a total value of US$992 from the home of a fuel dealer.

The court heard the trio used the same modus operandi at another Econet base station on Bulawayo/Nkayi Road on June 3. Armed with a wrench, hacksaw and bolt cutters, they overpowered the security guard and searched for a panic button before tying him up. This time they stole a Tekno mobile phone, US$150 in cash, a laptop and a pair of sneakers, and also dumped 2,000 liters of diesel fuel.

The stolen items (mobile phone, laptop and sneakers) were recovered from Mpofu’s home. Police also seized 620 liters of diesel from the same fuel dealers involved in the earlier incident. The meticulous investigation, combined with the cooperation of one of the defendants, was instrumental in obtaining the conviction.

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