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Court Reporter
A HARARE magistrate last week condemned a 32-year-old habitual thief to 24 years in prison for committing a spate of robberies in the city.
Adam Mwanza of Makumbe Village in Domboshava was convicted of 12 counts of unlawful entry. Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe sentenced Mwanza to 36 years in jail but suspended 12 years on condition of good behaviour. Mr Mahwe ordered Mwanza to restitute the complainants.
Mwanza, who was previously convicted of similar offences, had his suspended eight months added to the 24 years. He will serve an effective 24 years and eight months.
In passing sentence Mr Mahwe said: “The accused person thought he could just reap from what he did not sow.
“Offences of unlawful entry are on the rise and this court ought to exercise its duty by protecting the public from such individuals. One can imagine how many other houses the accused broke into without being caught.”
The first complainant is Norman June, a security officer at Zimpost Cranborne offices, who resides at 11640, Hatcliffe.
Prosecutor Ms Sharon Mashavira proved that on May 2 around 7am, June left his house after securing all doors and windows.
On his return from work, he noticed that his house had been broken into and valuables that included a plasma television, Apple iPad, laptop and gas cylinder stolen.
Cops from Borrowdale Police Station Criminal Investigations Department (CID) attended the crime scene.
Investigations led to the arrest of Mwanza on July 22.
Mwanza implicated Blessing Marope who assisted with the recovery of the stolen property.
When the police took him back to June’s house, Mwanza voluntarily made indications of how he had committed the offence.
It was further proved that Mwanza also broke into 11 other houses in Hatcliffe Extension.
Online Reporter