Duo jailed for stealing from cop

Two daring thieves from Epworth who stole three cellphones and cash from a police officer's home as well as a laptop belonging to a Government employee have been jailed for three years.

Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Kudakwashe Jarabini on Friday found Zebediah Kamundimu (29) and his accomplice Goodmore Magodhi (27) guilty of two counts of unlawful entry and theft.

Prosecutor Mr Edmund Ndambakuwa told the court that the pair first pounced on policeman Tafadzwa Kangwiro's Chitungwiza home on the evening of October 13 this year and made off with three cellphones and $150.

Kamundimu and Magodhi, who pleaded guilty to the charges, are said to have scaled the security wall before forcing open the window using an unknown object.

On October 28, the duo turned their criminal attention on Johnson Chihambakwe (52) who is employed by the Ministry of Public Works. The court heard that the duo went to Chihambakwe's house at around 8pm and fished out a laptop using the same method.

The pair was nabbed after one of them used one of the three cellphones that was fitted with a tracking device.
 
In passing sentence Mr Jarabini highlighted that unlawful entry is a serious offence which calls for a deterrent sentence.

He sentenced the pair to four years in prison each before suspending eight months on condition of good behaviour and an additional four months if they restitute Mangwiro to the sum of $240.
Goods worth $630 were recovered.