Serial armed robber gets 84 year jail term

A SERIAL armed robber-cum-carjacker from Shurugwi has learnt that crime does not pay when he was slapped with a cumulative 84-year jail sentence after he was convicted of 22 counts of armed robbery.

Kenneth Ndlovu, 25, of Dosert Resettlement area in Shurugwi had pleaded guilty to all the 22 counts of armed robbery and possessing a firearm without a licence when he appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Morgan Nemadire.

Ndlovu who has been behind a spate of robberies around the Midlands province, was convicted and sentenced to a cumulative 84 years in jail.

However, he will serve an effective 40 years after some of the counts were given concurrent sentences.

The state's case was that during the period between June last year to February this year, Ndlovu and his three accomplices, Jameson Malunga, Brilliant Mabwe and Cosmas Sayi robbed shops, supermarkets, clinics and pharmacies using a P1 pistol BSAP 293 stolen from Nembudziya Police Station in Gokwe North.

The gang also stole four cars in Gweru after pouncing on taxi drivers and would use the vehicles as get-away cars before dumping them.
The gang got away with money and property valued at $25,619 during their reign of terror.

On one occasion, Ndlovu and his accomplices pounced at a Delta delivery truck on December 25 last year at around 4AM at Nyaradza business centre where they shot Godwin Mabhuro of Mbizo in Kwekwe, who was employed by Delta, on his left arm before getting away with property worth over $1,000.

They had arrived at the business centre driving a Toyota Raum.  They allegedly opened fire at Mabhuro who was in the company of fellow employees, James Madyiwa and Tamuka Dzavo.

The armed robbers took the complainants' cellphones and sped off.

Ndlovu was later arrested after police received a tip off from members of the public after spotting him in possession of a P1 pistol while drinking beer at a local bar in the company of a friend.

Meanwhile, Acting Police Officer Commanding Midlands Province, Assistant Commissioner Musarashana Mabunda said the sentence served as a warning to armed robbers.

"We are impressed with the sentence because it shows that the judiciary is determined to reduce and eradicate crime. It also serves as a warning to other offenders," he said.