Online Reporter
Dalyn Chigwizura Court Reporter
A 44-YEAR-OLD man was yesterday sentenced to eight years in prison for breaking into a house with a duplicate key and stabbing the owner three times with an okapi knife when he tried to stop him from running away with a stolen cellphone.
Elson Sibanda, of no fixed abode, appeared before Western Commonage regional magistrate Pasipanodya Maturure on a robbery charge. He pleaded guilty and was initially handed an eight-year sentence. Two years were suspended for five years on condition he stays out of trouble, and another year was suspended if he repays US$78 to the victim by 31 December. The remaining five years are effective.
“People were inside the house when he broke in,” said Maturure. “He was ready to deal with resistance and did so by stabbing the complainant, causing serious injuries. For that, a custodial sentence is warranted.”
Prosecutor Christina Manyika told court that on October 8 at around 7 AM, Sibanda and two accomplices – still at large – went to Lwazilwenkosi Ncube’s home in Nkulumane.
Using a duplicate key, Sibanda got into the sitting room and grabbed a Bluetooth-connected cellphone. Ncube, who had been sleeping, confronted him and was stabbed three times, once on the right upper abdomen, once on the left abdomen, and once on the left hand.
Sibanda tried to flee but was caught by members of the public. Ncube was rushed to hospital with deep cuts. The stolen Itel Vision cellphone, worth US$78, was not recovered.
