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Five Harare men were last week jailed for an effective three years each after they were found guilty of robbery by a Mbare magistrate court.
Maxwell Kandisayi (30), Farai Chimbowora (26), Hubusanang Dube (19), Tendai Gwende (33) and Talkmore Zambara (30) were convicted of robbery. The five pounced on commuters in Waterfalls who were stuck after a kombi they were travelling in had a breakdown, stealing cash and goods worth more than US$3 000.
Magistrate Ruben Makavhi sentenced the five to four years in prison each for robbery and one year was suspended on condition of restitution of US$1 031 before December 31.
The gang allegedly were travelling in a Nissan Sunny car and were armed with a matchete and knives.
At the scene, the gang parked their vehicle and violently charged towards the commuters. Each robber grabbed a passenger and dragged them into the kombi. Gwende, who grabbed one of the passengers by the neck, dispossessed him of Sumsung M620, Nokia X2, US$5 and other personal effects.
Lovemore Mutunhuma, a passenger who managed to jump through the window after he had been dragged into the car, was chased by Kandisayi and threatened with a knife before he surrendered US$170.
Online Reporter