Zigara was shot dead in Zaka as he sought to flee from
police officers who had cornered him.
His widow, Revai Muza, and uncle Jephius Kufandada, were
yesterday jailed after a full trial by regional magistrate Esteri Chivasa.
Muza was sentenced to five years in prison, two of which
were suspended on condition she doesn’t commit a similar offence in the next
five years. Kufandada was sentenced to six years in prison of which two years
were suspended on the same conditions.
The State represented by Ephraim Zinyandu proved that when
the late Zigara received his share from the US$2,5m loot, he proceeded to his
house in Beatrice and showed it to his wife.
On January 7 last year, Zigara left home with his loot and
called his uncle Kufandada, who resides in Rhodene, Masvingo, and told him that
he was looking for five houses to buy.
Zigara initially told his uncle that he had obtained the
money from ivory and gold deals.
Kufandada went to an agent, Emily Musengi of Emtac,
Venture, Rhodes House in Masvingo, and was shown two houses in Mucheke B and
Rujeko C.
Zigara indicated he would be sending his wife Muza to
Masvingo with the money that same day.
Muza and Zigara’s relatives are said to have warned him
over his spending spree.
The following day, Muza was given US$50 000 by her husband
and met Kufandada in Masvingo.
They went to the agent and handed over the money to her.
She then contacted the owners of the properties who came in
to complete the formalities related to the transaction.
The court heard that trouble started when the agent was now
processing the agreements of sale and Zigara wanted the houses to be put in his
uncle’s name, whom Muza had never met.
She refused, arguing that the properties be put in their
child’s name or his name.
Zigara shot down both suggestions.
Kufandada suggested the Mucheke house be put in his name
and Muza’s name on the Rujeko house.
Again, Zigara turned down this options and went ahead to
register the houses in his name and the agreement of sale was processed in
Zvishavane.
Zigara later called Kufandada and advised him to watch ZBC
news, if he wanted to know the source of the money he had used to buy the
houses.
He confessed he had been involved in the ZB bank heist.
Investigations led the police to the two, leading to their
arrest.
In denying the charges, the two told the court Zigara told
them he had received the money from gold and ivory deals and they wouldn’t have
been involved if they knew the money was from a heist. H Metro
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