A non-league star has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail for leading a major drugs ring involving an ex-teammate.
Shepherd Murombedzi, 30, of Kidlington, became a firm favourite at Brackley Town, making 237 appearances across six seasons prior to his arrest and remand in June last year.
The former Solihull Moors and Chester midfielder received the verdict at Swindon Crown Court on Friday, having admitted to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession of criminal property.
Co-defendant Tre Mitford, 30, played alongside Murombedzi at Brackley.
Offences
The striker has represented a number of Step 2 clubs, most recently Hemel Hempstead Town.
He got six years and nine months having admitted the same offences plus possession of cocaine.
Catherine Flint KC, prosecuting, detailed how police had become aware of the duo having downloaded the phones of two drug dealers.
Evidence showed Murombedzi and Mitford made a number of trips to Swindon, meeting up with Callum Harvey-McKenzie.
All three were arrested on June 10, 2024, when Harvey-McKenzie, 28, was caught with a kilogram of cocaine in Swindon and Mitford with £22,000 in cash and smaller amounts of the Class A drug when his car was pulled over.
A search of Mitford’s base in Kidlington yielded cocaine valued between £71,000 and £154,000, plus drug paraphernalia, including scales.
That afternoon, police discovered Murombedzi standing naked on a flat roof at the back of his house as they tried to gain entry to search his address.
He threw a phone – one of four found – into the garden.
Just shy of £50,000 in cash, clothes, footwear and Rolex watches valued at more than £200,000 were also discovered.
Ms Flint detailed how Murombedzi had “placed all the blame” on Mitford during a police interview, claiming he had held the cash because he had been “blackmailed with threats to tell his girlfriend he had cheated on her”.
Tragedy
However, Murombedzi’s messages with an unidentified person pointed to at least 26kg of cocaine being bought “between the pair for onward sale”, including 10kg six days after he played in the National League North Promotion Final and two days after his deal to remain with the Saints had been confirmed.
Devices suggested Murombedzi was “selling in various sizes from multiple kilos all the way down to half-gram deals”, with “tick lists” recording values totalling more than £1.2 million.
The prosecution accepted Mitford was “acting as a courier and warehouseman under the direction of Mr Murombedzi”.
Judge James Townsend took account of Murombedzi and Mitford’s clean records and the “genuine regret” they had shown – both have been working as gym orderlies while on remand at HMP Hewell, Worcs, with Murombedzi taking bible classes.
Addressing Murombedzi, the judge said: “You took a leading role in this large-scale drugs enterprise, intending obviously to make very large sums of money.
“It is not possible to say how much drugs was involved but even on the most generous assessment, profits would be enormous.
“It is a tragedy that a man in his 30s and of good character should be involved in offending of this seriousness.”
