News / National
Notorious housebreaker sentenced to 10 years in jail
14 Jul 2014 at 06:39hrs | Views
A notorious housebreaker in Victoria Falls who had for a long time evaded arrest by pretending to be speech impaired and hiding among street kids, has been arrested and sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Homeless Bhekimpilo Nyathi, 22, had terrorised residents of Victoria Falls stealing different kinds of property that he would sell.
Nyathi would hang around with vagrants but later prey on people's property, targeting laptops, clothes and beer among other items.
Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani last week convicted Nyathi for a combined 12 counts of unlawful entry and theft.
The housebreaking spree started in November last year and ended last month when Nyathi was finally arrested.
Sentencing him, the magistrate said he was a cruel criminal who deserved no mercy from the courts.
"You targeted one complainant twice which shows how cruel you are. A deterrent sentence will be appropriate," said Rosemani.
He stole twice from Tariro Magiga, a supermarket employee.
Two of the 10 years were suspended on condition of good behaviour within five years.
Prosecuting, Listen Nare told how in November last year Nyathi broke into Magiga's house in Aerodrome area during the day and stole a laptop.
Nyathi went back to the same house last month, on June 8 and forcibly opened the door during the day and stole an assortment of clothes that were later recovered from several people he had sold them to.
"On June 16, the accused proceeded to Mkhosana Township where he broke into a house belonging to Takudzwa Ruwambiwa and stole a laptop," said Nare.
A week later Nyathi stole electrical gadgets belonging to Henry Matambanadzo of Aerodrome.
The court was told that on June 28, Gugulethu Patience left her home for Bulawayo and on her return noticed that a laptop and digital camera had been stolen.
Again last month, Nyathi who had convinced people that he was dumb as he slept in a bush with vagrants, woke up at night, sneaked out of their makeshift base and broke into G-Spot Nite Club in Mkhosana where he stole a laptop and cans of beer.
Nyathi was arrested after detectives recovered some of the stolen property hidden in a bush after he had been seen hiding it.
Most of the stolen property, especially laptops and electrical gadgets were recovered from Last Sibanda of Mkhosana who bought them from Nyathi.
Homeless Bhekimpilo Nyathi, 22, had terrorised residents of Victoria Falls stealing different kinds of property that he would sell.
Nyathi would hang around with vagrants but later prey on people's property, targeting laptops, clothes and beer among other items.
Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani last week convicted Nyathi for a combined 12 counts of unlawful entry and theft.
The housebreaking spree started in November last year and ended last month when Nyathi was finally arrested.
Sentencing him, the magistrate said he was a cruel criminal who deserved no mercy from the courts.
"You targeted one complainant twice which shows how cruel you are. A deterrent sentence will be appropriate," said Rosemani.
He stole twice from Tariro Magiga, a supermarket employee.
Prosecuting, Listen Nare told how in November last year Nyathi broke into Magiga's house in Aerodrome area during the day and stole a laptop.
Nyathi went back to the same house last month, on June 8 and forcibly opened the door during the day and stole an assortment of clothes that were later recovered from several people he had sold them to.
"On June 16, the accused proceeded to Mkhosana Township where he broke into a house belonging to Takudzwa Ruwambiwa and stole a laptop," said Nare.
A week later Nyathi stole electrical gadgets belonging to Henry Matambanadzo of Aerodrome.
The court was told that on June 28, Gugulethu Patience left her home for Bulawayo and on her return noticed that a laptop and digital camera had been stolen.
Again last month, Nyathi who had convinced people that he was dumb as he slept in a bush with vagrants, woke up at night, sneaked out of their makeshift base and broke into G-Spot Nite Club in Mkhosana where he stole a laptop and cans of beer.
Nyathi was arrested after detectives recovered some of the stolen property hidden in a bush after he had been seen hiding it.
Most of the stolen property, especially laptops and electrical gadgets were recovered from Last Sibanda of Mkhosana who bought them from Nyathi.
Source - Chronicle
