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Elizabeth Tsuro Midlands Reporter
THREE Bulawayo men who were recently released from a Botswana prison have each been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing nine cell phones, a laptop and R2,600 from two houses in Gweru. Police arrested the ex-convicts with their loot, valued at $820, hours after they had raided the houses. The trio, Selby Nkala, 30, Anele Maphosa, 32, and Martin Dhlamini, 34, all of Pumula South, appeared before Gweru Magistrate, Mildred Matuvi, each facing four counts of unlawful entry and theft.

They pleaded guilty.

The prosecutor, Ernest Muzembi, told the court the three were recidivists and ex-Botswana convicts who served two years for similar offences between 2010 and 2012. Muzembi said on August 28 this year at around 1:40AM, the trio unlawfully entered Munashe Guzha’s yard in Consilla Suburb, Gweru, through an unlocked gate.

The court heard that Nkala forced open a kitchen window while Maphosa and Dhlamini assisted each other to cut the burglar bars with a bolt cutter.

“They then stole four cell phones from the house,” said Muzembi.

He said Guzha heard the trio’s movements in the house and alerted the police. On the same night at around 3AM, the trio unlawfully entered Passmore Chamunorwa Chapwanya’s residence in Gweru’s Athlone suburb through an unlocked gate.

He said they entered the house through a kitchen window using the same modus operandi.

“They stole five cell phones, a laptop and R2,600 cash before taking to their heels,” said the prosecutor.

Muzembi said police officers from Consilla base where Guzha had reported earlier, tracked the trio before arresting them at Consilla Shopping Centre at around 4AM while they were carrying the stolen property.

All the stolen property was recovered.