By Staff Reporter
A DISGRUNTLED employee at a Mutare mine has been jailed for holding hostage his boss and fellow workers demanding outstanding wages, before driving off in a stolen vehicle.
Accused person, Josiah Saungweme (30) of Musi village recently appeared at Mutare Magistrates’ Court facing robbery charges.
He was slapped with a 10-year jail term of which two years were set aside on condition of good behaviour. Saungweme will, therefore, effectively serve eight years behind bars.
Agreed facts were that on July 14, 2024, around 9am, accused person accosted his employer, who is complainant in the matter, at his workplace at Doornfontein Vantage Mine.
Saungweme demanded his outstanding wages while forcibly taking keys to complainant’s beige Nissan X-Trail. The violent action prompted complainant to surrender US$260.
The court heard that accused person went on to forcemarch everyone present into the complainant’s car and drove it towards Whitehouse shopping centre.
It was heard that on the way back from shops, Saungweme pushed one of the workers out of the vehicle after he complained of his behaviour.
Upon arrival at Doornfontein Vantage Mine, accused person armed himself with a machete, ordered everyone to get out of the car before driving off. Inside the car was a Redmi cellphone belonging to complainant.
The matter was reported at Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Dzivarasekwa station.
On September 14 this year, Saungweme was nabbed at Bezel Bridge by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Mutare. His arrest led to the recovery of the Nissan X-Trail valued at US$5,000 dumped in the Wengezi area, Mutare in Manicaland while the cellphone was found in Zvimba, Mashonaland West province.
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