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Mejury Magaya Midlands Reporter
A Gweru man has pleaded guilty to a spate of armed robberies and burglary dating back to last year.

Simbarashe Muwaniki (35) appeared before Gweru magistrate Ms Beaulity Dube last week facing six counts of robbery, seven counts of unlawful entry, two counts of theft and one count of malicious damage to property.

Muwaniki broke into houses in Daylesford, Northlea, Lundi Park, Gweru East, Ridgemont, Lakewood and Gordon Crescent where he allegedly stole foodstuffs and electrical gadgets.

He pleaded guilty to all the charges and will remain in custody pending further investigations.

It is the State’s case that in January this year, Muwaniki, armed with a machete and a log, broke into a house in Northlea suburb through a window.

He threatened to kill the occupant while demanding cash and took US$100, $10, a laptop, 40 exercise books, a cellphone and two travelling bags.

Rape

The court heard that among the counts, in February, Muwaniki gained entry into a house in Lundi Park by forcing the main door open, and again threatened to rape and assault the occupant with an iron bar.

He made off with US$367, $14 and a cellphone.

In February, Muwaniki allegedly broke into a house in Gweru East, assaulted the occupants, threatened to kill them with a hoe and took away US$5 760, $80 and two cellphones.

Prosecuting, Mrs Magret Mukucha said in April this year, in Lakewood, the suspect entered a house by forcefully opening a door facing the south using an unknown object.

It also alleged that he intentionally used violence on the occupant and threatened to rape her while demanding cash and escaped with the occupant’s Toyota Rav4 car  keys.