HARARE – Two men have been sentenced to prison for conspiring to commit an armed robbery, despite never physically carrying out the crime.
Phillip Semba, 34, and Ralph Mavura, 39, were each handed five-year effective jail terms by the Harare Magistrates’ Court after plotting to rob a company in Chisipite, Harare.
The plot was uncovered after Roy Mutemagazi, their accomplice, was arrested on June 17, 2023, at the Beitbridge Border Post while attempting to cross into South Africa.
Police recovered firearms and went through Mutemagazi’s phone, discovering the planned robbery. This led to the arrests of Semba and Mavura.
The duo had communicated their plan via WhatsApp, with Mavura providing inside information about large sums of cash at his workplace.
The court sentenced them to eight years, with three years suspended on condition of good behaviour, effectively leaving them with five years to serve.
Mutemagazi, found to be mentally ill, was committed to a mental institution.
