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Grace Nyoni, Midlands Reporter
TWO siblings from Gweru have been sentenced to a combined 110 years in jail by a Gweru Regional Magistrate for breaking into 92 houses and stealing goods worth about $50 000.

Appearing before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing 92 counts of unlawful entry into premises and theft were brothers, Moses and Lucas Mushaninga Munemo of Gweru.

Moses (41) and Lucas (37) were convicted against their own plea of not guilty to 81 charges of unlawful entry into premises and theft.

The other 11 charges were withdrawn after complainants failed to testify for various reasons.

Mrs Msipa sentenced the two brothers to 55 years in jail each.

“In arriving at the sentence, I considered that you are first offenders and no one was injured when you were committing these offences. You were both facing 92 counts of unlawful entry and theft at the start of the trial but you were left with 81 counts after the others were withdrawn before plea. You broke windows, damaged doors and you pre-planned the offence and were determined and that aggravates the offence,” she said.

Mrs Msipa said property valued at $13 000 was not recovered.

“You are each sentenced to 55 years in prison of which 10 years each is suspended on condition of good behaviour and the other five years each is suspended on condition you restitute complainants $13 000. You will therefore each serve 40 years in prison each,” she said.

It was the State case that from 2016 and to this year in February, Moses and Lucas targeted houses in Gweru, forcibly opening windows or doors before stealing electrical goods and other household furniture.

The court heard that between 2016 and February this year, the pair broke into 92 houses and went away with refrigerators,  television sets, radios and stoves among other goods with a value of $50 000.