Notorious 23-year-old Masvingo man jailed 25 years for 17 robbery counts

By Simbarashe Mtembo | Masvingo Mirror |

MASVINGO – A 23-year-old Masvingo man will taste freedom when he turns 48-years old after being sentenced to 25 years in jail for 17 counts of armed robbery and robbery.

Tinashe Marufu of Shumba Street in Mucheke was sentenced by Masvingo Magistrate Elizabeth Hanzi on Monday.

Magistrate Hanzi initially sentenced him to 36 years in prison and suspended 10 years for good behavior and another year on condition that he restitutes his victims.

His co-accused Jacob Enjoyment Banda (36) from Gwanda was sentence to 21 years after he was spared the armed robbery charge only to be slapped with another three year and eight months jail terms for seven other robbery counts he committed alone.

He will effectively serve 24 years and eight months in jail.

Banda committed his counts on February 23, 2024, at Simbi SteelMakers employee residences.

Four counts are for stealing goods valued at US$290 including work suits, jeans, flash drives, shoe polish, mobile phones and solar lamps from four employees. The other three counts are unlawful entries into their houses.

Marufu and Banda committed the other 16 joint counts from February 21-25, 2024, in Victoria Range, Clovelly, Zimre Park, and Plot 28, Glentor Farm.

They stole goods valued at over US$5 000 including mobile phones, laptops, cash, clothes, electronic accessories.

The State led by Godknows Mugondo said that the convicts terrorised Victoria Range residents on February 21, 2024, when seven counts of armed robbery and robbery were recorded.

One victim, Dzikamai Martin Kazamula of Victoria Range lost US$250, two laptops, two Samsung mobile phones, a wallet, shoes, a jacket and a Wi-Fi router while Herbert Mavhere of Zimre Park lost US$173, a laptop, Samsung M53 mobile, a Sony camera, smart tablet, Samsung J5 mobile, Iphone XS Max, and a power bank.

Misheck Diza of Victoria Range lost four laptops, US$12, a Samsung M14 mobile phone, and clothes to the convicts. Tawanda Muzuva of Zimre Park lost an Iphone XS Max mobile phone and a laptop.