Tinashe Njagu (25) pleaded not guilty to three counts of armed robbery and an attempted robbery charge when he appeared before regional magistrate Mr William Bhila but was convicted.
Mr Bhila treated the three robbery counts as one for sentencing since they were committed at the same time, with three women being robbed in the same attempt.
He sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment before conditionally suspending three years. On the attempted-armed robbery charge, where quick action by the intended victim thwarted the crime, Mr Bhila slapped Njagu with an extra three years, taking the total to 15 and the effective term to 12 years.
In passing sentence Mr Bhila said robberies were on the rise hence a strong message should be sent to would be offenders.
“Cases of this nature are rife. The accused’s moral blameworthiness is very high. No one’s vehicle is safe when accused is outside,” he said. Njagu was a threat to the general public and that the seriousness of the offence could not be over emphasised.
Prosecutor Mr Cuthbert Mukandire proved that on August 25 last year at around 5pm, Ms Rudo Mahomva got into her parked vehicle at Avondale Shopping Centre in the company of Ms Rutendo Nyamadzawo and Charlene Gatsi.
While they were preparing to drive off Njagu opened the right rear passenger’s door and entered into the vehicle frightening the women. Njagu ordered Ms Mahomva to drive out of the shopping centre after pointing a pistol at Ms Nyamadzawo whom he threatened to
shoot if they failed to listen to his instructions.
Ms Mahomva followed the instructions and drove the vehicle from the shopping centre into an unknown road in Avondale.
There Njagu ordered Ms Mahomva to stop before demanding their valuables.The three gave him three cellphones and US$450. He also took the vehicle.
The property stolen was valued at US$9 000 and property worth US$6 000 was recovered. Njagu ordered the three out of the car before driving away at high speed and dumping the vehicle at the corner of Josiah Tongora Avenue and Leopold Takawira Street, near
Parirenyatwa Hospital.
Njagu tried the same trick the next day. He tried to rob a woman of her Mazda vehicle at the same shopping centre, this time with Tamuka Mapurazah helping him.
But his victim was made of stronger stuff. Ms Elizabeth Sibindi wrestled with him after he pointed a gun at her before screaming for help. Mapurazah fled but Njagu was grabbed by a Bon Marché security guard.
