Online Reporter
Kimberley Chitambara, [email protected]
A 34-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man who teamed up with accomplices and robbed a local man of more than US$3 600, R1 110, a car battery and a cellphone at gunpoint has been sentenced to an effective nine years in prison.
Clifford Desmond Nare of Cowdray Park was convicted of armed robbery as defined in Section 126(1) as read with Section 126(3)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act when he appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Shingirai Mutiro
In passing sentence, the magistrate noted that Nare is already serving a prison term for another related offence, a factor that weighed heavily against him.
Mr Mutiro sentenced Nare to 12 years’ imprisonment, with two years suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence during that period. A further one year was suspended on condition that he restitutes the complainant, leaving him to serve an effective nine years behind bars.
Prosecuting, Mr Owen Mugari told the court that on February 1 last year at around 11.30PM, Nare and his accomplices — Cordias Nkomo, who is still at large and Sipho Ncube and Dumisani Ndlovu, who are now deceased — targeted Kings and Queens Funeral Services in Kelvin North industrial area, Bulawayo.
The court heard that Nare was armed with a pistol and a sword, while his accomplices were also carrying firearms.
“Upon arrival at Kings and Queens Funeral Services, the accused gained entry through a broken precast wall and proceeded to the guardroom where the complainant, Stanford Dube, and his colleague Xolisani Ncube were on duty manning the premises,” said Mr Mugari.
Nare struck Dube above the right eye with the butt of a pistol, resulting in him falling to the ground and bleeding profusely. The gang then forced the two guards to the backyard, ordered them to lie down and tied their hands and legs using their shoelaces.
“Nare remained outside guarding the premises while his accomplices broke into the building through a window,” said the prosecutor.
Inside, the gang forced open the cash office and the strong room, from where they stole US$3 608, R1 130 and a Huawei Y62 cellphone valued at US$110.
Before fleeing, the accused also smashed a quarter glass of a blue Honda Fit parked at the premises and stole an Exide car battery valued at US$80.
Investigations later led to Nare’s arrest and the recovery of a firearm and the stolen cellphone.
