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Danisa Masuku
TWO youthful armed robbers who went on a robbery spree targeting Honda Fit drivers, assaulting them and stealing their cash, cellphones, and vehicles have been each convicted and sentenced.
Last Sibanda (22) and Malvin Roland Nyoni (23) appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Collet Ncube facing three counts of armed robbery.
The pair did not waste the court’s time as they pleaded guilty to all counts and they were convicted. In coming up with the sentence the magistrate treated all the counts as one. They were each sentenced to serve 20 years in jail. Five years was suspended on condition of good behaviour for a period of five years.
In sentencing them, the magistrate considered that the pair were first-time offenders and they pleaded guilty to all the counts. The court considered that they were fairly young. However, the magistrate said the pair used a dangerous weapon to attack and rob the three victims therefore they deserve a custodial sentence.
The court noted that they mercilessly attacked the victims on separate occasions and on one of the occasions they strangled one of the victims with a rope and attacked him with a hammer on the head. The victim collapsed and could have died.
The court noted that Sibanda and his accomplice planned on how to carry out the crime. In a victim impact statement, the victims — Mqondisi Sibanda, Amos Dube and Itai Chitsiga — gave praise to the Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS) for the arrest of the offenders and recovery of their vehicles.
The court heard that on 10 March this year at around 10pm, Sibanda and Nyoni who were armed with an iron bar and hammer met Sibanda (43) pirating along 6th Avenue.
They hired him and told him they wanted to go to Njube suburb and he drove them there. The court heard that when they were in Njube, they strangled Sibanda with a rope and attacked him with a hammer on the head.
He collapsed and after that they searched him and stole US$54 and his cellphone. They then dragged him out of the car and dumped him before they drove off in his car.
Later on, Sibanda gained consciousness and walked to a police station where he reported the incident. On 16 March the court heard that they met Dube (43) while he was driving a Honda Fit at the corner 5th Avenue and Herbert Chitepo Street in Bulawayo. It is said they hired Dube and asked him to transport them to Parklands suburb and he drove them there.
When they reached Parklands suburb they strangled him with a rope and searched him. They took US$197 and dragged him out of his car before they drove away in it.
On 6 April the two armed robbers met Itai Chitsiga pirating with a Honda Fit at Corner Fort Street and Leopold Takawira Avenue. They hired him and asked him to ferry them to North End suburb.
The court learnt that when they reached the suburb they took out a rope and strangled him with it before they dragged him out of his car. They took his US$63 and cellphone before they drove-off in his car.
He reported the incident to the police leading to the recovery of his car.
Online Reporter