Senator son found with dangerous weapons

The son of the Senator for Masotsha-Ndlovu Constituency in Bulawayo and two of his accomplices have each been sentenced to five years after being found in possession of dangerous weapons while using the legislator’s official car for criminal activities.

Nicodemous Ncube (24) of Number 3161 Luveve 4 in Bulawayo, the son of Senator Enna Chitsa of the Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) together with two of his accomplices, Tinashe Muvengwa (32) who is not employed of 15122 Nkulumane 12 and Bekithemba Ndlovu (30) of 37 Cumberland Hillside who is employed by Tours and Transfers Company in South Africa were found in possession of a 303 rifle serial number 7080/28020 that was fitted with a telescopic sight and nine rounds of ammunition which they wanted to use to poach zebras for their skins they intended to smuggle to neighbouring South Africa.

Ncube is a student at the Bulawayo Polytechnic.The trio was arrested at a roadblock in Masvingo while driving the Senator’s official Nissan Navara registration number ZW 006326.

They appeared before Masvingo Provincial magistrate, Mr Timon Makunde, facing two counts of illegal possession dangerous weapons one of possessing the rifle and another of possessing nine rounds of ammunition as defined in section 28 (1) (e) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

They all pleaded guilty to the two counts of illegal possession dangerous weapons.The two counts were, however, treated as one for the purpose of sentencing and were each slapped with five-year jail terms.The trio will, however, serve an effective three years each after two years of their sentences were suspended for five years on condition that they are not within that period convicted of an offence involving illegal possession of dangerous weapons.

The State case as presented by the prosecutor, Mr Motion Njaravani, was that on 23 January this year, the three connived to poach zebras for their skins which they intended to smuggle to South Africa where Ndlovu is working.

The trio, the court was told, decided to travel from Bulawayo to Masvingo where they wanted to poach the zebras and skin them. Mr Njaravani further told the court that the three used Senator Chitsa’s official car, a Nissan Navara, that was being driven by her son to do their illegal business.

They were, however, intercepted by the police who were manning a roadblock along Nyika-Mutare road where they were searched and found in possession of a 303 riffle that was fitted with a telescopic sight and nine rounds of ammunition.

On being asked by the police the trio failed to give a satisfactory account of the dangerous weapons without licences, leading to their arrest and the establishment that the vehicle belonged to the senator.