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Danisa Masuku
COMMUNITY members and shop-owners in Mbembesi, Matabeleland North province heaved a sigh of relief after three robbers who terrorised them were jailed.
Charles Lunga (30), Nyarai Mkandla (32) and Limukani Dube appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Beverly Madzikatire facing seven counts of robbery.
They pleaded not guilty to all counts claiming they were not in Mbembesi on those particular days when the crimes were committed. However, at the end of the trial they were found guilty.
The magistrate said aggravating factors outweigh mitigating factors. She therefore convicted and sentenced them to serve eight years in jail. A total of 30 months were suspended on condition that they do not commit a similar offence within a period of five years. A further 12 months were suspended on condition that they restitute shop-owners and community members of the property they stole. They will serve an effective four years and six months.
In aggravation, state counsel Sehliselo Khumalo stated that safety was not just a need but a right anchored on principles of the constitution. The obligation of the criminal courts is to protect every victim of the crime including Mbembesi community which has been subjected to the scourge of robberies.
He further said the use of machetes was now rampant in society and there is a need to deter offenders and would-be offenders from using dangerous weapons such as machetes. Khumalo noted that looking at the severity of the matter, a custodial sentence would be appropriate.
Circumstances are that on 23 September the trio who were armed with machetes, a knife and an iron bar went to Shirazi Bottle Store, upon getting there they attacked the bottle store owner and her workers.
They took US$80, four cell phones and a crate of energy drinks and a crate of brandy. After that, they headed to a shop where upon arrival they randomly attacked people who were seated outside the shops.
They then took a cell phone and a radio speaker. On the same day at around 7pm, they headed to another shop where they beat up patrons and demanded money from the shop owner and he gave them US$1390 before they left.
On the following day, they went to a homestead and found the home-owner at his home with his family. They manhandled him while demanding money. They took US$15. After that, they pounced at another home and took US$20.
On 9 September, they went to another homestead where they demanded cash and they were given US$100, a cell phone, three bathing soaps and 16 packets of matemba. The victims reported the incidents to the police leading to their arrest.
Online Reporter