HARARE - A 35 year jail sentence has been handed down to Baureni Mafara, a soldier with the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), after he pleaded guilty to the theft of 21 AK-47 rifles from Harare's Pomona Barracks in October 2009.Mafara was last year court marshalled with two army deserters, Marksist Mwaruta and Chenjerai Gwirizha, who each got 23 month-sentences for terminating their contracts illegally.
The ZDF court-martial was unable to charge the two with the theft of weapons under military law since they were no longer serving in the army.
Mafara was also discharged from the army with no benefits.
MDC transport manager Pasco Gwezere, who is currently out on US$500 bail, was also charged with the offence of theft of arms. He was taken from his home in Mufakose on October 27, 2008 and detained at Marimba Police Station. He was then allegedly taken to Harare Central Prison and assaulted by state security officers.
It was alleged that Mafara, Mashiri, Gwirizha, Mwaruta, Gwezere and Stanley Marange hatched a plan to steal firearms from One Engineers Regiments Armoury at Pomona.
Marange provided the vehicle used as a getaway car, while the others provided information pertaining to the security at the Pomona Barracks.
At the barracks, Marange remained in the car while Mashiri and the others went to the armoury.
Using a bolt cutter, Mafara and Mwaruta broke the screen door padlocks securing the armoury and gained entry.
Mashiri and Gwarizha stood outside while Mafara and Mwaruta stole six AK 47 magazines, one of which had 27 live rounds, 20 AK 47 rifles and one shotgun.
The gang took the loot to their waiting getaway car and drove to a house in Westlea where they shared the guns.
The names of the other soldiers also facing the same offence are Sungiso Musa, Darlington Kanyingwe, Nyaruwata Lawyers, Charles Muzondo, Dzingai T Chibutwaka, Stanley Mvindwa, Chamunorwa Chinyere, Cosmore Mangenda, Misheck Kangwa, Callistus Mutero, David Hamandishe and Farai Chitsiko.
According to reports, the soldiers were thrown into the Harare Remand Prison by a joint group comprising members of the army’s military intelligence, the military police and the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) two days after the guns disappeared.
Ten junior officers were arrested over the same case. Their whereabouts are still unknown.
Post published in: News