An 18-year-old man who terrorised taxi drivers in Harare, robbing them of their vehicles and cash, will spend the next 24 years in jail.
Tafadzwa Humire was convicted for robbery twice in as many months by different courts and was described by magistrate Never Katiyo as a sophisticated young man who deserved to be treated like an adult and not a juvenile.
He will leave prison when he is at least 40 years old. The young man used a toy gun to rob taxi drivers in the capital.
Barely a month ago, Humire was slapped with an effective four-year prison term by regional magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi for robbing a taxi driver at “gun” point.
“At 18 years he (Humire) is headed for disaster if his criminal behaviour is left unchecked. He is not a simple juvenile, but a sophisticated young man who is a bad influence not only to teenagers, but adults as well,” Katiyo said before slapping Humire with a total of 25 years’ imprisonment and suspending five on condition of good behaviour.
The young man had pleaded guilty to five counts of armed robbery and was sentenced to a five-year prison term for each count. He also pleaded guilty to making a false report for which he was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment which was wholly suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The daring teenager is said to have robbed taxi drivers — Admire Mudimu, Hillary Jera, Fast Taruvinga, Wellington Musengi and Lovemore Mundenga — whom he hired at night from the city centre to different destinations. Along the way to the supposed routes, he turned against the drivers by pointing a toy gun and ordering them to surrender cash and vehicles.
The robberies occurred between March and April this year.
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After robbing Musengi of Kuwadzana, Humire is said to have driven the stolen vehicle away and was involved in an accident.
He proceeded to Kuwadzana Police Station and filed a false report claiming to be the owner of the vehicle.
