Student stabs motorist, hijacks car
A STUDENT on attachment at Zesa in Bulawayo has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for savagely stabbing a motorist five times before robbing him of his vehicle.
Rashwell Zvihwati (21) who was doing Electrical Power Engineering at Kwekwe Polytechnic stabbed Mr Knowledge Muchatiza (22) twice on the nose, once on the forehead, neck and cheek on February 20 this year at around 2AM.
Zvihwati of Imbizo, Kwekwe, ordered Mr Muchatiza to get out of the Honda Fit before speeding off. He drove the car to Kwekwe, showed it to his parents and claimed he had bought it using his attachment allowance.
When Zvihwati’s father asked him about the blood that was on his clothes, he claimed he had been attacked by carjackers who wanted to steal his vehicle.
Prosecutors said he was arrested when he tried to steal another vehicle in the city.
Zvihwati appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe facing charges of robbery and car hijacking. He pleaded guilty. “I admit the charges that are levelled against me. I am not adding or subtracting anything but l would like to apologise to the complainant and his family for what I did to their son. I am pleading with this court to be lenient with me when sentencing me even though robbery is a serious offence,” said Zvihwati.
“The reason why I committed this offence is that I wanted to sell the car and get money to pay my school fees and buy food because I am the breadwinner at home. However, I couldn’t manage to get a buyer.”
Mr Utahwashe sentenced him to 10 years in prison but suspended three years on condition that he does not commit a similar crime for the next five years.
“You will serve an effective seven years in jail. In sentencing you I considered that you are a young person, you pleaded guilty and you did not waste the court’s time,” he said.
“I also took into consideration that the complainant did not suffer a permanent prejudice because he will get his vehicle. However, robbery involving use of dangerous weapon carries only a custodial sentence. We are concerned about the increase of robbery cases these days and I want you to be an example out there.”
Prosecuting, Ms Concilia Ncube said in February, Zvihwati approached Mr Muchatiza who was pirating with his car outside Bulawayo Club 263 between 9th and 10th avenues.
Ms Ncube said Zvihwati hired Mr Muchatiza to take him to Famona suburb.
“The two agreed on a fare of $5 which the accused person paid before departure. The complainant then drove the vehicle towards Famona with the accused person occupying the back seat behind the driver,” she said.
“When they were between Famona Fire Station and 23rd Avenue along Matopos Road, the accused person grabbed the complainant by the neck and stabbed him five times. The complainant stopped the car after it hit a pillar. The accused person ordered the complainant to move out of the car and drove away leaving the complainant lying on the ground.”
Ms Ncube said Mr Muchatiza was assisted by the Famona Fire Station crew who took him to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and reported the case to the police.
The court heard that inside the car there was a spare wheel, car jack, wheel spanner, modulator, a Shona Bible and $22.
Ms Ncube said the police carried out investigations leading to the arrest of the student and the recovery of the car, Bible, modulator, jack and the wheel spanner. — @cynthiamthembo1