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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent

Three notorious robbers, Musa Taj Abdul, Charles Lundu and Sean Andile Dhlamini, already in jail for previous convictions, who were convicted of a further 13 counts of armed robbery, mostly done in Borrowdale, had their sentence deferred to February 2.

The trio were convicted last year in December by Harare Regional Magistrate Mr Ignatio Mhene.

Prosecutor Mr Kelvin Munyimi submitted in aggravation that the three convicts committed a serious offence using dangerous weapons that left the complainants traumatised and hence should be given a 10-year jail for each count.

“The accused did not commit only one count of robbery but 13 which makes them dangerous criminals. In all the counts the complainants did not recover their property and are finding it hard to replace them due to the economic hardships.

“They are now living in fear. The State prays that they be sent to prison for a long time. May they be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years for each count.”

Defence counsel of the accused persons Mr Tamutsa Muzana in mitigation prayed that the court should take into consideration the accused continued stay in remand prison for more than three years and treat all the offences as one for purposes of sentencing.

“Their families and businesses have suffered. Sentencing is designed to punish the accused and that has already been done. They already know that crime does not pay. That crime leads to suffering. Sentencing is also premised on rehabilitation.

“The accused have learnt their lessons and they are determined to live a crime-free life. In as much as we have been given 13 counts, of which one can see that these offences are similar, both in nature and execution. We do pray that the 13 counts be bundled into one count for the purpose of sentencing so that they run concurrently,” he said.

He added that if they are given a lengthy custodial sentence, they will come out in coffins and we will never know if they were rehabilitated.

The State proved that the trio in July 2020, used threats of immediate violence on Lyle Leonard Wilson while armed with a short 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, iPhone 11 Promax cell phone, brown and red handbag inscribed GUESS, eyeglasses, 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 the Trauma Centre along Borrowdale Lane, the three armed themselves with a shotgun, 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.

The total value prejudiced was US$3 475.