Correspondent|Three Kwekwe teenagers were on Wednesday arraigned on armed robbery charges after they waylaid a cop and a woman before robbing them of cell phones and cash on New Year’s Eve.

Cephas Ncube (18), Mtulisi Mtoyi (18) and David Mandebele (18) pleaded guilty to the charge before Kwekwe Magistrate Miss Vimbai Mtukwa.

Miss Mtukwa deferred the sentencing of the trio to a later date after they claimed they were all 15 years old, making it difficult for the magistrate to sentence them.

There was drama in court as they claimed police officers forced them to state that they were aged 18 years.

They, however, failed to produce identity documents and Miss Mtukwa referred them to a dentist for age estimation.

Ncube who is of no fixed aboard, claimed his documents were in Masvingo while Mtoyi who is originally from Gokwe said he did not have any while Mandebele said his were in Gokwe.

The State led by Mr Freddy Ndoro said on December 31, 2018 at around 7:45PM, the complainant, James Chaipa who is based at Kwekwe Central Police Station, was on his way home.

“The three accused armed with a machete and a catapult, ambushed him along Burma Road,” said Mr Ndoro.

He said they demanded cash and Chaipa gave up his G-Tel mobile phone and $200 as well as slippers and the trio disappeared into darkness.

The trio also used the same modus operandi and pounced on Efilda Phiri whom they robbed of $4, a Samsung mobile phone and groceries.

The duo separately made police reports at Kwekwe Central Police Station.

Following police investigations, the trio was arrested the following day leading to the recovery of Chaipa’s mobile phone and a pair of slippers in Mtoyi’s possession.

Phiri’s cellphone was also recovered.