Most wanted criminal and leader of a six-member gang jailed for 31 years

Hurungwe's most wanted criminal and leader of a six-member gang that recently went on a crime spree, robbing schools and shops in and around Karoi, has been jailed for 31 years. Karoi Magistrate Mr Robson Finsin slapped Todd Maketo (42) with a 25-year jail sentence after he pleaded guilty to five counts of unlawful entry and one of robbery.

Another Karoi magistrate Mrs Nyaradzo Ringisayi last Friday also imposed a six-year jail term on Maketo after convicting him of five counts of unlawful entry in which he was jointly charged with two of his lieutenants.

In the first case, Mr Finsin suspended 15 months of Maketo's 25-year jail term on condition he restituted his victims through the clerk of court US$2 115 in unrecovered property on or before April 16 this year.

In the first five counts, the court heard that in November last year, Maketo of House number 5397 Chiedza Township in Karoi went to Nyangoma Secondary School in Hurungwe East where he broke into an office and stole O'level Commerce and Religious Education textbooks valued at US$180.

Only books worth US$28 were recovered.

During the same month Maketo went to Fuleche Business centre in Hurungwe West and stole several groceries, diesel, a radio, an inverter and several ladies' bags from a shop belonging to Clever Katemazuva.

Out of the stolen items valued at US$355, only US$100 worth of property was recovered.

That same night at the same business centre, Maketo proceeded to a shop belonging to Knowledge Mhukayesango and stole goods worth US$543.

The items included seed maize, tennis shoes, T-shirts, ladies' body tops and cases of sugar, cooking oil, flour, Royco soups and matches among other items.

Mhukayesango only recovered good worth US$35.

On December 3 last year, Maketo went to Garangwe Primary School also in Hurungwe West where he stole three teapots, a suit-case, two trousers, two pairs of shoes, five shirts, two neck-ties and an O'level textbook all belonging to Godfrey Chitsamutanga.

Out of the property valued at    US$400 property worth US$100 was recovered.

On another day still in December last year, Maketo also went to Kajekache Animal Management Centre and stole a home theatre, a digital video decoder, cooking utensils, a buddizo, tick-grease and decatix cattle dip all valued at US$700. Only property worth US$40 was recovered.

Maketo's robbery charges emanated on February 22 this year when he went to Mutore Business Centre in Hurungwe West and forced Blessed Moyo to surrender US$170 cash, a DStv decoder and a Nokia Cell phone after grabbing him and head-butted him several times; the property was valued at US$225 and property worth US$85 was recovered.

In the cases in which he was jointly charged with Emanuel Mahachi and Clever Muyambo, Maketo went to Dixie Primary School in Mauya and Dixie Secondary School where they stole cash, netballs, soccer balls, sports uniforms, agriculture tools, building materials and textbooks.

On the other two counts Maketo and his accomplices went to Doro and Chiedza townships where they broke into shops before they made off with several groceries and electrical gadgets.
Maketo was leading the six member gang in all cases.

Four of Maketo's accomplices have since been sentenced at the same court.

In the other case Clever Muyambo was sentenced to 19 years in jail after he was convicted of nine counts of unlawful entry while another accomplice, Emmanuel Mahachi who faced eight counts of unlawful entry has been slapped with a 12 year jail term.

Anyway Chiteya (24) and Abel Kamanura (28) have since been slapped with a five year jail term each by Mr Finsin while the trial of Never Mushongahande is yet to start. All the six come from Chiedza Township in Karoi and committed the offences between December 29 last year and February 27 this year.