HARARE - Four robbers currently serving lengthy jail terms for armed robberies have been slapped with another eight-year-prison term each.

The four, jailed for robbing and murdering Dr Christopher Mushonga — the late husband to minister of Regional Integration Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga — are Makaika Milanzi, Stephen Zimowa, Asani Chikwanda and Crispen Sibanda.

The fresh sentence is over a charge of unlawfully possessing a firearm.

They were jointly charged with Anthony Khumbula and Tendai Jongwe.

Jongwe was acquitted on the current charge.

Harare regional magistrate Aidonia Masawi suspended two years from their sentence on condition of good behaviour for the next five years.

The four are currently serving a collective sentence of 240 years on charges of armed robbery.

The gang was found guilty of terrorising and assaulting residents in Mandara, Highlands, Eastlea, Hillside and Hatfield, where they committed a spate of armed robberies.

The state managed to prove that the men were in unlawful possession of a firearm in 2009.

The men went on a rampage and terrorised Harare residents including the late Mushonga and his maid Maria Mandizha.

They pounced on the surgeon’s house in Mt Pleasant on June 18, 2009, where they force-marched Mandizha to the main house at gunpoint, before confronting Mushonga who was sleeping in his bedroom.

They assaulted him with the butt of an AK 47 rifle, threatening to kill him.

Mushonga, according to state papers, gave them $150, an HTC mobile phone, Nokia 2630 and keys to his Toyota Prado.

The court was told they ransacked the house before driving away in his Toyota Prado which they later dumped in Waterfalls.

On several occasions after that, the robbers pounced on different Harare suburbs, where they stole several goods. - Tendai Kamhungira