The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa Weekender Correspondent
A HABITUAL burglar who terrorised people at the Mutare Teachers’ College campus was last week sentenced to 74 months imprisonment after he was convicted of breaking into houses and stealing property.
Oswell Irvine Makedenge Machikiti was convicted on his own guilty plea to seven counts of unlawful entry.
He also faced two counts of theft from a motor vehicle when he appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Innocent Bepura.
Machikiti was charged with contravening Section 131 (1) as read with Section 131 (2) and Section 113 (1) (a) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9 : 23 respectively.
Mr Fletcher Karombe told the court that Machikiti broke into complainants’ premises at the college. He stole electrical appliances, cash and other valuables.
The court heard that he stole property worth $1 600 and only $765 was recovered.
In his mitigation, he told the court that his wife was pregnant and thus he badly needed money to look after her and the baby since he was unemployed.
“Your Worship, I needed $150 only for my wife’s welfare, but an evil spirit came upon me and I kept on breaking and entering into people’s houses even after I had already got the $150. Please forgive me,” he begged.
In sentencing him, Mr Bepura said it was only fair that the accused be given a custodial sentence as ordering him to pay a fine or do community service would be unjust considering his records.
“Cases of this matter are prevalent in Mutare and therefore the need for a stiffer penalty that will scare other would-be offenders,” he said.
