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By Priscilla Mafa
Three men from Rusape have each been sentenced to an effective eight years in prison after being convicted of carrying out violent robberies at two Econet booster stations in June this year.
Benjamin Ben (40), Mike Chitsike (23) and Innocent Simbarashe Magaba (20) were convicted by the Rusape Provincial Magistrates’ Court for the coordinated attacks, which targeted critical telecommunications infrastructure.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the trio, together with a fourth suspect whose trial has been separated, attacked booster stations at St Killen Mountain and Nyazura on 12 June 2026 while armed with machetes, iron bars and catapults.
At the St Killen Mountain site, the gang allegedly shot a 62-year-old security guard in the face with a catapult before hacking his hand with a machete. They tied him up, stole his cellphone and siphoned 750 litres of diesel after cutting the generator’s fuel pipe. The guard later managed to free himself and reported the incident to police before receiving medical treatment at Rusape General Hospital.
The gang then proceeded to the Nyazura booster station, where they assaulted another security guard with an iron bar before tying him up. They stole 1,040 litres of diesel, three cellphones, US$180 in cash, a complete Zimbabwe Republic Police uniform, a security company uniform and safety shoes before fleeing.
Investigations linked the first accused to the robberies after mobile network data placed his phone at both crime scenes. Following his arrest, detectives recovered stolen diesel and arrested his accomplices after he led police to them and to a buyer who had purchased part of the stolen fuel.
Police recovered 400 litres of diesel from the first robbery and 900 litres from the second. Property worth US$800 was recovered from the first robbery, where goods valued at US$1,595 had been stolen. In the second robbery, property valued at US$1,800 was recovered from items worth US$2,315 that had been stolen.
The court sentenced each offender to five years’ imprisonment on each count, with one year suspended on each sentence. The sentences will run consecutively, resulting in an effective eight-year prison term for each of the three convicted men.
The fourth accused pleaded not guilty, and his case has been separated from that of the convicted trio.
The National Prosecuting Authority said violent robberies targeting critical infrastructure would be met with firm legal action, warning that offenders who endanger lives while stealing essential resources face significant custodial sentences.
Benjamin Ben (40), Mike Chitsike (23) and Innocent Simbarashe Magaba (20) were convicted by the Rusape Provincial Magistrates’ Court for the coordinated attacks, which targeted critical telecommunications infrastructure.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the trio, together with a fourth suspect whose trial has been separated, attacked booster stations at St Killen Mountain and Nyazura on 12 June 2026 while armed with machetes, iron bars and catapults.
At the St Killen Mountain site, the gang allegedly shot a 62-year-old security guard in the face with a catapult before hacking his hand with a machete. They tied him up, stole his cellphone and siphoned 750 litres of diesel after cutting the generator’s fuel pipe. The guard later managed to free himself and reported the incident to police before receiving medical treatment at Rusape General Hospital.
The gang then proceeded to the Nyazura booster station, where they assaulted another security guard with an iron bar before tying him up. They stole 1,040 litres of diesel, three cellphones, US$180 in cash, a complete Zimbabwe Republic Police uniform, a security company uniform and safety shoes before fleeing.
Investigations linked the first accused to the robberies after mobile network data placed his phone at both crime scenes. Following his arrest, detectives recovered stolen diesel and arrested his accomplices after he led police to them and to a buyer who had purchased part of the stolen fuel.
Police recovered 400 litres of diesel from the first robbery and 900 litres from the second. Property worth US$800 was recovered from the first robbery, where goods valued at US$1,595 had been stolen. In the second robbery, property valued at US$1,800 was recovered from items worth US$2,315 that had been stolen.
The court sentenced each offender to five years’ imprisonment on each count, with one year suspended on each sentence. The sentences will run consecutively, resulting in an effective eight-year prison term for each of the three convicted men.
The fourth accused pleaded not guilty, and his case has been separated from that of the convicted trio.
The National Prosecuting Authority said violent robberies targeting critical infrastructure would be met with firm legal action, warning that offenders who endanger lives while stealing essential resources face significant custodial sentences.
Published
July 28, 2026 at 8:00 AM
