Reign of terror ends as robbers get 18 years

terms each.
Some of their victims lost eyes while others had their fingers broken after being attacked with sharp and blunt objects.
Clayton Sibanda (27), Tawanda Chisare (19) and Frank Chigenje (22) pleaded guilty to six counts of robbery when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Kudakwashe Jarabini.
The other two Collen Choto (23) and Bruno Wamanja (22) denied the charges, but they were convicted because of overwhelming evidence.
Mr Jarabini sentenced them to four years imprisonment on each count making a total of 24 years.
The court, however, set aside five years on condition of good behaviour. A further one year was suspended on condition they restitute the complainants on or before December 30 this year.
Prosecutor Ms Memory Mukapa had called for a lengthy custodial sentence arguing that the five were a menace to society and had caused permanent injuries to some of their victims.
The complainant in the first count was Bishop Mwape of Tafara. The court heard that on the night of August 1, Mwape was at home with his wife when the five pounced on them.
Some of the gang members grabbed Mwape’s wife while others pummelled Mwape with a hammer on the head and face.
They searched him and took two cellphones, groceries and other valuables all valued at US$150. Mwape lost an eye during the attack, the court heard.
On the same day another complainant George Tom of Tafara Flats was sitting at home when one of the gang members asked for a cigarette before grabbing him by the neck.
His partners in crime joined in and they started hitting him with a hammer on both knees and on back.
They stole his cellphone and other property.
The court further heard that the gang also attacked David Osiyano of Mabvuku while cycling along Acturus Road and robbed him of his bicycle and other valuables worth US$50. The fourth victim was Clemence Masapi, who was attacked while walking along Chizhanje Road in Mabvuku and lost property worth US$585 after being struck with a stone on the head.
He sustained a deep cut on the head and a broken finger. The gang also pounced on a teenage girl who was in the company of her boyfriend. They took her cellphone, stripped her naked and tried to rape her but she resisted. Admire Mutsato was a victim of the gang after he was attacked on his way home.
He lost property worth US$255.
The gang was arrested at their homes on August 15 following a tip off and property valued at US$90 was recovered.