According to report reaching the news desk of CEOAFRICA from Zimbabwe, four armed robbers have been sentenced to 52- year jail term each.

Laston Chongo (26), Joseph Banda Rice (33), George Laisi (Not specified) and their female accomplice, Faina Siniri (22), were accused of six counts of rape and nine of armed robbery, as the regional magistrate, Mr. Hosea Mujaya found them guilty of the offences because of overwhelming evidence. Siniri was acquitted of the rape charges and was jailed for an effective 10 years.

During the court session, prosecutor Ms Rufaro Mhandu proved that on June 28 last year, the gang approached three family members whose vehicle had run out of fuel at Manyame Bridge along the Harare-Bulawayo Road pretending to be good Samaritans. They lured two girls aged 18 and 21 years to disembark from their car, leaving their father behind. While outside, the suspects further lured the girls to move away from their father where they later gang-raped them.

Also, on June 26 last year, the gang pounced on Peter Makarichi, an employee in the City of Harare, and robbed him of properties worth US$50. As if that was not enough, this gang of robbers robbed another man of goods and cash valued at US$95 and drove off in their stolen motor vehicle.

On this same day, the criminals robbed one Samuel Matumba and Robert Chombo, who were at Katanga Shopping Centre waiting for lifts to Knowe. After offering their victims a lift, they robbed them of goods worth US$264.

The next day, they again robbed other residents of goods worth more than US$1,500.