Armed robber jailed

before locking the owners in a toilet has been jailed eight years effective.
Shepherd Madzivanzira (30) pleaded guilty to armed robbery charges when he appeared before regional magistrate Mr Never Katiyo on Thursday. His accomplices, Funani Garepi (26) and Chenjerai Mudzingwa (29) denied the charges. Garepi and Mudzingwa were remanded in custody to August 17 for trial.

Mr Katiyo sentenced Madzivanzira to 10 years with labour but suspended two years on condition of good behaviour. In passing sentence, Mr Katiyo said he took into account that Madzivanzira did not waste the court’s time. However, he said robbery was a very serious offence.
“The accused committed a very serious offence and robbery by its nature is a very violent crime. Home should be the safest place for every individual hence when people are in their homes they don’t expect to be attended in this manner . . . and if people no longer feel safe inside their homes, then the world has gone crazy. This aggravated the accused’s moral blameworthiness,” he said.

It is the state’s case that on October 8 last year, Madzivanzira, Garepi, Mudzingwa and Shane Mazhambe still at large went to Monalisa Chabata’s house around 8pm and jumped the security wall. The quartet armed with a knife and a catapult, gained entry into the house through the kitchen door. They confronted Chabata and her family, while threatening them with death before ordering them to lie down. They ransacked the house and stole three mobile phones, clothing, travelling bags, shoes and a laptop all valued at US$5 970 and US$150 cash.

The four force-marched Chabata’s family into the toilet and locked them from outside. They fled with their loot and Chabata’s husband later came and unlocked the door.
On January 25, this year, Phineas Luveye who had bought one of the stolen mobile phones was arrested and implicated Garepi. Garepi was arrested and he implicated his accomplices who later led to

the recovery of some of the stolen loot valued at US$600. Mr Editor Mavuto prosecuted. – CR.