News / National
Robbery earns soldier 4-year prison term
07 Jun 2016 at 01:38hrs | Views
A Harare soldier who allegedly stripped a civilian of his camouflage T-shirt before assaulting and robbing him was yesterday sentenced to four years in jail.
Simbarashe Sithole (29) was facing robbery charges.
The magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe, however, suspended one year on condition of good behaviour.
He also suspended another year on condition that Sithole pays back $81 to Lloyd Kuzondishaya.
Mr Mahwe said Sithole will serve three years in jail if he fails to restitute the $81.
In passing the sentence, Mr Mahwe took into account that Sithole was a first offender, however, he said such cases were prevalent in Harare, therefore a deterrent sentence was called for.
"Your behaviour as a soldier puts the name of Zimbabwe National Army into disrepute," he said.
Mr Mahwe last week told Sithole that it was unlawful to strip civilians wearing camouflaged clothes.
Sithole, who pleaded guilty, said he only took the camouflaged t-shirt from Kuzondishaya.
"I did not steal anything from him but I only took our camouflaged t-shirt he was wearing," he said.
On May 31 Kuzondishaya was playing at Holly's Hotel where he is employed as a disc jockey while Sithole was drinking beer in the hotel.
The court heard that at around midnight, Kuzondishaya finished playing and met Sithole who started accusing him of wearing a camouflaged t-shirt.
It was proved that Sithole took Kuzondishaya to Simon Mazorodze flyover where he started demanding money upon arrival.
The State proved that Sithole started assaulting Kuzondishora after he told him that he had no money and ordered him to do pushups.
The court heard that Sithole started searching Kuzondishora's pockets while assaulting him. It was proved that he took the t-shirt, a dollar and a Sumsung Galaxy mobile phone, leaving Kuzondishora in agony.
The court heard that Sithole was arrested on June 1 in at a local night club after being positively identified by Kuzondishora.
Simbarashe Sithole (29) was facing robbery charges.
The magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe, however, suspended one year on condition of good behaviour.
He also suspended another year on condition that Sithole pays back $81 to Lloyd Kuzondishaya.
Mr Mahwe said Sithole will serve three years in jail if he fails to restitute the $81.
In passing the sentence, Mr Mahwe took into account that Sithole was a first offender, however, he said such cases were prevalent in Harare, therefore a deterrent sentence was called for.
"Your behaviour as a soldier puts the name of Zimbabwe National Army into disrepute," he said.
Mr Mahwe last week told Sithole that it was unlawful to strip civilians wearing camouflaged clothes.
"I did not steal anything from him but I only took our camouflaged t-shirt he was wearing," he said.
On May 31 Kuzondishaya was playing at Holly's Hotel where he is employed as a disc jockey while Sithole was drinking beer in the hotel.
The court heard that at around midnight, Kuzondishaya finished playing and met Sithole who started accusing him of wearing a camouflaged t-shirt.
It was proved that Sithole took Kuzondishaya to Simon Mazorodze flyover where he started demanding money upon arrival.
The State proved that Sithole started assaulting Kuzondishora after he told him that he had no money and ordered him to do pushups.
The court heard that Sithole started searching Kuzondishora's pockets while assaulting him. It was proved that he took the t-shirt, a dollar and a Sumsung Galaxy mobile phone, leaving Kuzondishora in agony.
The court heard that Sithole was arrested on June 1 in at a local night club after being positively identified by Kuzondishora.
Source - chronicle
