BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
THREE Dzivarasekwa men, who robbed a local businessman of Econet airtime worth $20 000, a laptop and mobile phone during the recent stayaway, were yesterday sentenced to five years each by Harare magistrate Elisha Singano.
Paul Chilenje (32), Tapiwa Muvishi (29) and John Karoti (28) will however, serve four years each after one year was set aside on condition of good behaviour.
The court heard that on January 14 at Dzivarasekwa along Harare-Bulawayo Highway, the complainant Passmore Kaseke parked his vehicle on the roadside to give way to protesters who were walking along the road.
Armed with stones, Chilenje, Muvishi and Karoti pounced on Kaseke’s vehicle, dragging him from the driver’s seat as they assaulted him before they forcefully grabbed his car keys. Muvishi then grabbed Kaseke’s Note 8 mobile phone and fled from the scene.
Chilenje went to the boot of the vehicle and stole a black satchel bag with airtime worth $20 000, Nokia mobile phone, iPhone 6 plus, two chargers and a ZTE mobile phone.
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The suspects then demanded a ransom before they could return the car keys.
The shaken Kaseke complied and them US$300 before he drove to the police station to report the matter.
Police later raided Karoti’s home and recovered $260 worth of airtime.
Karoti then implicated Muvishi and Chilenje, leading to their arrest and recovery of goods worth $2 000.
Rufaro Madzura appeared for the State.