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Courtney Matende Midlands Reporter
TWO brothers from Zvishavane notorious for rape and armed robbery in Mberengwa have been sentenced to a combined 100 years in jail by a Gweru regional magistrate.

Appearing before Mrs Phathekile Msipa on Tuesday, brothers Shepherd (33) and Tafadzwa Hove (22) were facing five counts each of rape and robbery.

They both pleaded not guilty to the charges, but were convicted after a full trial.

The siblings will serve 40 years each after Mrs Msipa removed 10 years from their sentence on condition of good behaviour.

Shepherd and Tafadzwa are also serving 18 years each following their conviction to multiple counts of unlawful entry and theft, meaning they now have 58 years each.

The court heard that one of the complainant’s survived rape at the hands of the duo after lying that she had cancer.

It was the State case that on May 24 last year, Shepherd, Tafadzwa and their accomplice, Ndabaningi Moyo, who is still on the run, but resides at Village 3 under Chief Maziofa in Mberengwa, used violence against the first complainant, a resident at Svita Business Centre, threatening her with a machete, axe and a knife and stole her property worth $284.

The court heard that Shepherd went on to rape the complianant.

The court heard that the siblings and Moyo robbed three other shops at Svita Business Centre and stole goods worth about $2 000.

In another count, the three broke into a room where there were two females at Maphisa Store, also in Mberengwa.

They assaulted the complainants with booted feet and forced them to cover their faces, before ordering them to undress.

The court heard that one of the complainants pleaded with them not to sexually abuse her, claiming she was suffering from cervical cancer.

They went on to rape the other woman, before robbing the shop of property worth $886.

In another incident, the trio broke into another shop in Mberengwa and the shop keeper, Lazarus Gumbo, was woken by their noise.

Gumbo came face to face with Shepherd, Tafadzwa and Moyo who were armed with an axe, a machete and a knife. Gumbo was slapped on his cheek by one of the criminals and they stole property worth RTGS$419.

At Mahlamvana and in another count, the trio ordered the shop keeper Jeep Maphosa, to surrender all his money and he surrendered RTGS$80.

They went on to steal his property worth $573.

Mr Talent Tadenyika appeared for the State.