Serial robber jailed 5 years

Shamiso Dzingire Court Reporter
A 21-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man, who went on a robbing spree terrorising mostly women, including a police officer, was yesterday sentenced to five years in prison.

Brandon Ngwenya of Old Pumula suburb targeted Magwegwe residents and would threaten to stab his victims before robbing them of their valuables.

His reign of terror lasted for nearly five months until his arrest early this month.

Ngwenya was convicted on his own plea to five counts of robbery by Western Commonage magistrate, Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze.

He was sentenced to five years in prison but will serve an effective three and half years in prison.

Msipa-Marondedze suspended 12 months on condition of good behaviour and another six months on condition that Ngwenya pays a restitution of $515 to the complainants on or before 30 September

Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza said on March 15, Ngwenya approached Admire Nare who was walking along a bushy area in Lobengula West.

He said Ngwenya grabbed Nare and robbed him of a black wallet with $15 and a Samsung Galaxy Pocket cell phone.

Two days later, the court heard, Ngwenya met Thembisile Maphosa, along Mehlokazulu Street in New Magwegwe.

“He stabbed Maphosa on the left shoulder with a knife and robbed her of a Calltouch X7 tablet and disappeared into the darkness,” Mageza said.

He said on May 11, Ngwenya met Linda Ncube, a Pumula High School head in a bushy area between New Magwegwe and Magwegwe West.

“Ngwenya drew a knife and threatened to stab her before demanding her bag. He searched the bag and took away a Nokia cell phone, a pair of spectacles cash amounting to $53 and a national identity card and ran away,” said Mageza.

The court heard how on June 6 in New Magwegwe suburb, Ngwenya robbed Kesiwe Sibanda of a Samsung cell phone, a hymn book and a wallet with $50.

Mageza said on July 29 at around 7AM, Ngwenya met Thabita Dube, a female police officer who was walking in a bushy area between New Magwegwe and Pumula East.

Ngwenya threatened the police officer with a knife before taking away her handbag with a Huawei P6 cell phone, a Nokia X2 cellphone, a police identity card, a police notebook, house keys and $95, the court heard.

The total value of the goods stolen was $1,353 and only goods worth $583 were recovered.