Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Two men who broke into a home in Gletwin, Harare, on Christmas Eve and stole property worth US$8 000 have been sentenced to effective jail terms after pleading guilty to armed robbery.
Moffat Nyateka (40) and Fact Kunzekutema (22) appeared before Harare magistrate Artwell Sanyatwe on Friday, where they admitted their guilt.
The court handed down seven-year prison sentences for each, but suspended two years for five years on condition of good behaviour.
An additional two months were suspended, provided the pair paid restitution, leaving an effective custodial sentence in place.
In delivering the sentence, Magistrate Sanyatwe described the offence as serious and premeditated, saying the accused carried out the crime with ease and used weapons to intimidate the victim. He said a custodial sentence was unavoidable to uphold justice and deter similar offences.
Prosecutor Takudzwa Mutyavaviri told the court that the men, armed with a knife and a screwdriver, broke into the Gletwin home on Christmas Eve, tied up the victim, threatened to stab him, and stole various household items.
The pair later hired a vehicle to transport the stolen property and were arrested after selling some of it.
In mitigation, the accused asked for leniency, claiming they had been desperate for money at the time of the offence.
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