In a brazen act of violent robbery, two Kuwadzana men have been sentenced to serve extensive prison terms for a home invasion that left a victim traumatized and resulted in the theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of property.
Witness Nyarupa (40) and Checksmore Godza (30) were convicted and sentenced at the Harare Magistrates’ Court on robbery charges stemming from an incident on September 8, 2021.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the two men, along with unidentified accomplices, armed themselves with a black pellet gun, handcuffs, and a baton stick before forcibly entering the victim’s home around 7:30 AM. The group reportedly grabbed the female complainant by the neck and threatened her with the pellet gun, demanding money.
When the victim stated she had no cash, the robbers proceeded to assault her before dragging her into the bedroom and handcuffing her. They then looted the home, stealing $3,000 USD from the victim’s purse, a Samsung Galaxy J4 mobile phone, and 10 two-in-one blankets. The perpetrators also ransacked other rooms, making off with 3 Itel tablets, an OpenView decoder, a DSTV decoder, a television set, and brand new vehicle tyres.
Investigations led to the arrest of Nyarupa on November 30, 2021, and he subsequently implicated his co-accused, Godza. Nyarupa led to the recovery of the stolen Honda CRV, which had developed a mechanical issue and was found parked at a garage in Westlea. In total, goods valued at US$16,500 were stolen, with US$8,630 worth of items recovered by authorities.
The two men were sentenced to 12 years in prison, with 2 years suspended. An additional 2 years were suspended on the condition of restitution, leaving the accused to serve 8 years effectively for their crimes.
The stiff sentences handed down by the court underscore the severity of such violent property crimes and the commitment of Zimbabwean authorities to hold offenders accountable.
