Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
FIVE habitual robbers were last Friday sentenced to four years in jail after robbing a soldier of his service uniform and $300 worth of valuables. Nyasha Mareya (21), Tendai Sadiki (28), Learnmore Dzvairo (22), Nicoh Mwinde (27) and a 16-year-old boy were charged with robbery when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Hosiah Mujaya. They pleaded guilty to the charge.
Mr Mujaya initially sentenced the quintet to four years in jail each before suspending 18-months on condition of good behaviour. However, Mr Mujaya further suspended two years from the teenager’s sentence after considering his age.
Allegations are that on April 6, 2016, Cornelius Masuku (38), who was coming from Kwekwe in a private motor vehicle, was dropped at Jameson Hotel at corner Samora Machel and Park Street. He walked along Samora Machel going home.
The court heard that when Masuku was at corner Leopold Takawira and Samora Machel, he was approached by the five robbers. One of them grabbed him by the neck whilst others searched his pockets.
It is alleged that Masuku tried to resist and one member of the group produced a knife threatening to stab him
It is the State’s case that they took Masuku’s black satchel that had a Zimbabwe National Army uniform, mosquito net, National identity card, Zanu-PF card, medical aid, $10 cash and other valuables before fleeing from the scene. It is alleged that Masuku tracked the quintet from a distance until they boarded an Epworth-bound commuter omnibus along Robert Mugabe.
The court heard that Masuku alerted two police officers who were on a patrol and they managed to arrest Mareya while the other four sped off in the commuter omnibus. After being arrested, Mareya implicated his accomplices leading to their arrest.
Masuku’s valuables were recovered.