Serial robber jailed 36 years

HE struck 49 times, claiming he was committing the robberies to raise money to sustain his family.

Now, he has been jailed for 36 years.

Perfect Nsingo, a serial Kadoma robber, was convicted on his own plea of guilty on all counts.

The State had initially charged him with 50 counts before he was acquitted on one of the charges.

Nsingo claimed he committed the numerous crimes to raise money in order to sustain his family.

Recently, Nsingo approached the High Court, appealing against both his conviction and sentence.

He attacked his conviction arguing his trial was not conducted properly given that he had entered his guilty plea voluntarily.

The serial robber claimed the trial court should have combined some of the counts and treated them as one for the purpose of sentencing.

Dismissing the appeal, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda highlighted that Nsingo’s application lacked merit.

“The application is opposed by the State on the grounds that Nsingo pleaded guilty and he has not pointed to any misdirection in the plea recording.

“As regards the sentence, the trial court exercised its discretion.

“I have examined the record and note that Nsingo elected to proceed with the plea recording without legal representation.

“The court put all relevant questions, and there is no basis to disagree with its conclusion that Nsingo was admitting all the conduct constituting the various counts of robbery.

“He does not suggest that he would have pleaded not guilty.

“He did not say and still does not say anything that would constitute a defence to the charge.

“His appeal, therefore, lacks merit and is not likely to succeed. In the result the application is dismissed,” ruled the Judge.