News / Local
Bulawayo robbery gang locked away for 5 years
24 Nov 2013 at 20:42hrs | Views
A FOUR-MAN robbery gang that gave residents of Bulawayo's Pumula suburb sleepless nights has been locked away for five-and-half years.
Mr Bhekisipho Mhlanga (29), Mr Shadreck Mpofu (26), Mr Prince Ngwenya (28) and Mr Nhlanhla Dube (40) broke into several homes at night spreading terror through the suburb.
Western Commonage provincial resident magistrate Mr Willard Maphios told the men they were a danger to society as he jailed them for eight years. He conditionally suspended two-and-half-years.
Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza narrated how the quartet, under the cover of darkness, sneak into several houses in Pumula South after breaking burglar bars and window panes mainly targeting plasma televisions sets and mobile phones.
On 1 January last year, Mpofu, Ngwenya, Dube and Mhlanga went to House Number 21485 in Pumula South at night and destroyed the window using an iron bar. They grabbed two mobile phones and a Samsung television set and fled.
On 18 August, they targeted another house in the suburb by destroying the locking system. They stole a 42 inch plasma TV, a two plate stove and a set of cups and fled, the court heard.
Within minutes, the gang had identified another house in the same neighbourhood where they used the same method to gain entry.
They got away with a 32 inch plasma TV and speakers.
"On the same night, the quartet again descended on Mrs Mary Marimba's house in the same suburb and forcibly opened the window of her bedroom and got inside.
"They stole a Philips television set and a DVD player and took to their heels," Mr Mageza told the court.
The court further heard that on 14 November, the four men went to Ms Sithembiso Ngwenya's house and forced open the door, entered the house and stole three Nokia mobile phones, a drilling machine and a DVD player.
Ngwenya's sister, the court heard, woke up and saw the gang in the act and shouted for help.
The four men were intercepted by police officers who were on patrol as they fled from the house with residents in hot in pursuit.
On arresting the quartet, police recovered some of the stolen property.
Mr Bhekisipho Mhlanga (29), Mr Shadreck Mpofu (26), Mr Prince Ngwenya (28) and Mr Nhlanhla Dube (40) broke into several homes at night spreading terror through the suburb.
Western Commonage provincial resident magistrate Mr Willard Maphios told the men they were a danger to society as he jailed them for eight years. He conditionally suspended two-and-half-years.
Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza narrated how the quartet, under the cover of darkness, sneak into several houses in Pumula South after breaking burglar bars and window panes mainly targeting plasma televisions sets and mobile phones.
On 1 January last year, Mpofu, Ngwenya, Dube and Mhlanga went to House Number 21485 in Pumula South at night and destroyed the window using an iron bar. They grabbed two mobile phones and a Samsung television set and fled.
On 18 August, they targeted another house in the suburb by destroying the locking system. They stole a 42 inch plasma TV, a two plate stove and a set of cups and fled, the court heard.
Within minutes, the gang had identified another house in the same neighbourhood where they used the same method to gain entry.
"On the same night, the quartet again descended on Mrs Mary Marimba's house in the same suburb and forcibly opened the window of her bedroom and got inside.
"They stole a Philips television set and a DVD player and took to their heels," Mr Mageza told the court.
The court further heard that on 14 November, the four men went to Ms Sithembiso Ngwenya's house and forced open the door, entered the house and stole three Nokia mobile phones, a drilling machine and a DVD player.
Ngwenya's sister, the court heard, woke up and saw the gang in the act and shouted for help.
The four men were intercepted by police officers who were on patrol as they fled from the house with residents in hot in pursuit.
On arresting the quartet, police recovered some of the stolen property.
Source - chronicle
