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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
TWO Plumtree serial robbers who were in the habit of ambushing residents at night will spend the next seven years in prison for attacking five different people in the border town and surrounding areas.
Jabulani Masuku, 38, and Andile Sibanda, 29, both from Dingumizi area used a catapult and knobkerrie to attack their victims.
They were both convicted on their own plea of guilty to four counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery by Plumtree magistrate Livard Philemon.
Philemon sentenced each of them to nine years imprisonment for all the five counts. Two years were conditionally suspended for five years.
In passing the sentence, Philemon told the pair that the world had become a dangerous place because of people like them.
“The crimes that you committed are serious, considering that you were armed with dangerous weapons which you were using to attack and threaten your victims. If people like you are allowed to move around scotfree then it means people are at risk,” he said.
“This is the reason why a custodial sentence is suitable for you because if you are in prison then it means people will be safe from criminals like you.”
When asked why they had committed the crimes, Masuku said he did not have anything else to do. Sibanda told the court that he regretted his actions.
Prosecuting, Chariot Katerere said Masuku and Sibanda attacked five people aged 23, 24, two aged 29 and another one aged 64-years-old.
Police, following leads, arrested the pair last week.
Online Reporter