Nine years for armed robbery

The robbers carried machetes, knives, wheel spanners and iron bars. Shadreck Kanjere (34) and Norest Mutambudzi (33), both from Ruwa, appeared before Harare magistrate Simon Kachambwa, who sentenced them to 11 years imprisonment each.
Magistrate Kachambwa suspended two years for both Kanjere and Mutambudzi on condition of good behaviour for the next five years. He said such an offence leaves a trail of suffering to the victims and it is time the powers that be look at the penalties of robbery in view of the seriousness of the offence.
“Penalties of armed robbery should range well above the currently stipulated terms these courts are allowed to pass,” said Magistrate Kachambwa. “As such, this is not an offence that calls for a non-custodial sentence.”
Prosecutor Mr Alan Goche proved that on January 9 this year around 3am Kanjere and Mutambudzi, in the company of their accomplices still at large, broke into Raymond Chitepo’s house in Ruwa. They proceeded to the main bedroom where they confronted Chitepo and his wife before threatening them with weapons to surrender cash.
They ransacked the house and stole several household items including laptops, cellphones and clothes. Kanjere and Mutambudzi locked up Chitepo and his family in the bedroom before opening Chitepo’s Ford Ranger pick-up truck which was parked outside the house.