Armed robbers get 34 years behind bars

TWO armed robbers, who wrestled a Masvingo police officer and robbed him of his service pistol before turning the heat on eight other victims in different parts of the country within one night, were yesterday slapped with a 42-year jail term each.

In passing sentence, Harare regional magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni noted that the robbers - Tinei Chimucheka and Athanas Munyonga - had pre-meditated before committing the crimes, hence they deserved a lengthy custodial sentence.

The pair will, however, stay in prison for 34 years after the court suspended eight years on condition of good behaviour.

The dramatic robbery spree saw Chimucheka and Munyonga traversing Masvingo, different parts of Mashonaland Central province and Harare, all in one night - February 11 last year.

"Of the total 42 years imprisonment, a total of eight years have been suspended for five years in which accused do not, within that period, commit any offence involving dishonesty and violence which, on conviction, will be sentenced to imprisonment without any option," Mthombeni said.

"The court considered that these were crimes committed in groups and by gangs against innocent people who did not expect anything. They were robbed of their hard-earned property. Sentence to be passed must show that the courts do not condone this kind of behaviour."

The court heard that after robbing the police officer, the armed robbers pounced on Stewart Ndoro and robbed him of his vehicle and left him tied on to a tree in a bush off Mvurwi Road.

They then drove to Centenary, Mt Darwin and later sought refuge in Glen View 2 in Harare after completing their night-long mission.

The two robbers were arrested six days later following a tip-off from the public.