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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent

Three notorious robbers, Musa Taj Abdul, Charles Lundu and Sean Andile Dhlamini, who were convicted of 13 counts of armed robbery, mostly done in Borrowdale, Harare, have each been sentenced to an effective 38 years in jail if they pay back the proceeds of their crimes.

Harare regional magistrate Mr Ignatio Mhene sentenced the three to 10 years each for the first count of robbery.

The remaining 12 counts were combined to become seven counts and each was sentenced to seven years imprisonment bringing the total to 52 years.

Eight years were suspended on condition that they do not commit a similar offence within the five years following their eventual release from prison, four years were suspended on condition that they restitute US$2 416 to the complainant of count one by March 30, and two years were suspended on condition that they restitute the other complainants US$1 070.

So they are to serve effective 38 years in jail.

Defence council of the accused persons was Mr Tamutsa Muzana.

State prosecutor Mr Kelvin Munyimi proved that the trio in July 2020 used threats of immediate violence on Lyle Leonard Wilson, while armed with a shot gun, pistols, hammer and iron bars and took away US$1 656 cash, perfumes, cell phones and a wide range of other property.

The looted property in just this one case included a Sony Ericson cell phone, Nokia cell phone, Samsung $10 cell phone, Huawei Y9 cell phone, 1xMillion bottle of perfume, 1xMontblanc bottle of perfume, IxJimmychoo bottle of perfume, 2xBvlgari bottles of perfume, 1xObssession by Calvin Klien bottle of perfume, 1xBeverly Hills bottle of perfume, 1xSecretsunset bottle of perfume, play station 4, play station pads, HP Notebook laptop, gold bracelet inscribed SHELBIE, i-Phone 11 Promax cell phone, brown and red handbag inscribed GUESS, eye glasses, pair of Rayban sunglasses, 1xNarcisso Rodrigues bottle of perfume, Huawei P9 cell phone, i-Phone 65 cell phone, Zimbabwean passport and National Identity card and an orange kit bag.

On the other 12 counts, the court heard that on July 25, 2020 and at Trauma Centre along Borrowdale Lane, the three armed themselves with a shot gun, pistols, hammer and iron bars and robbed 12 individuals of cellphones and laptops.

The complainants are Todoka Wilbert, Simon Machemedze, Jerifanos Fana, Faith Chatikobo, Stewart Vengayi, Pamela Isaac, Juliana Tsikidzi, Elita Sakala, Grace Manjengwa, Dorcas Ephraim and Cheryl Masvosva.

Total value prejudiced was US$3 475.

The convicts were arrested by detectives from CID Homicide with Brian Maigeta being the lead investigator.

Meanwhile, Lundu and Abdul are serving a four-year prison sentence after they were found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm.

The accused have been on the police most wanted list for nearly 20 years.