A 24-year-old man has been handed a five-year prison sentence following a violent armed robbery in the border town of Beitbridge earlier this year.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) confirmed that Thabiso Ngwenya was convicted by the Beitbridge magistrates’ court for an attack that took place on January 11, 2026.
The victim, a 40-year-old woman, was walking alone toward the Chicago Bus Terminus at approximately 4:00 p.m. when Ngwenya emerged from the bush to confront her.
According to the NPAZ, Ngwenya initially demanded the woman’s mobile phone under the false pretext that it belonged to him.
When the victim resisted and attempted to secure her phone in her handbag, Ngwenya produced an okapi knife and threatened to stab her, compelling her to surrender her belongings.
He fled the scene with two mobile phones—a Nokia A36 and a Huawei Honor X6—and cash totalling 2 000 rand and US$300.
The total value of the stolen items was 8 700 rand, none of which was recovered.
Ngwenya was later apprehended in connection with a separate robbery in Juta Village, where the victim of the January incident positively identified him.
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The court sentenced him to 60 months of imprisonment, with two months suspended on the condition of restitution.
The NPAZ reiterated that the use of weapons to rob citizens is a serious offense and that the justice system remains dedicated to protecting communities from lawlessness.
