TWO Glen View women have been slapped with an effective 12–month jail term each following their conviction on robbery charges after pouncing on an unsuspecting hitchhiker and robbing her of valuables worth over $1 000.
PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI
Shantel Mavimisa (19) and Zvikomborero Gutsa (20) were convicted on their own plea of guilty when they appeared before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe yesterday.
Mahwe also ordered the women, whose male accomplice is still at large, to restitute $700 to the complainant, failure of which another 12 months would be added to their sentence.
In passing sentence, Mahwe noted that although the women were first offenders, their actions called for a stiff sentence which would meet the justice of the case particularly in light of the increase in robbery cases within Harare.
“In assessing sentence, I have taken into consideration that the accused persons are first offenders, but you used violence on the complainant,” he said.
“Cases like these are prevalent in Greater Harare and a deterrent sentence must be given. Though you are first offenders, you have started in the deep end.”
Appearing for the State, Sharon Mashavira told the court that the on August 25 at around 7pm, the women approached the complainant, Linile Fletcher of Chitungwiza, who was hitchhiking along Julius Nyerere Way intending to get transport home.
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They offered her a lift in their Toyota Sprinter vehicle.
As they were driving towards Chitungwiza, the accused persons produced a knife and threatened Fletcher before strangling her.
The court heard that they then grabbed an assortment of electronic goods and other valuables worth $1 500 from Fletcher before throwing her out of the vehicle. The complainant filed a police report.
Police detectives received a tip-off on August 30 about the accused persons’ hideout and arrested them. They recovered part of the stolen property worth $800.
