Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
FIVE armed men who orchestrated the robbery of more than US$720 000 from Quest Financial Services in Harare have each been sentenced to an effective 11 years in prison.
Washington Mangwanda (21), Brighton Chikukwa (27), Silence Matambo (27), Liberty Mukanganise (31) and Luke Zinyengere (28) were convicted of armed robbery following a full trial before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Jesse Kufa.
The court initially sentenced each accused person to 12 years’ imprisonment before suspending one year on condition of good behaviour.
Some of the stolen money amounting to US$104 160 recovered was returned to the complainant.
Zinyengere, who is not a first offender, was separately sentenced to 22 years in prison in April last year for robbery and attempting to escape from lawful custody after he tried to flee from prison guards at the Harare Magistrates Court while attending proceedings in the present matter.
The complainant is Quest Financial Services, represented by its head of Operations, Mr Daniel Mandizvidza.
Prosecutor in charge Ms Gossy Mudambu proved that on February 23, 2024, company officials secured the premises at No. 6 Rochester Road, Belgravia, Harare, before knocking off duty.
A vault containing US$ 720 676, R10 500, €120 and other valuables was locked, while security guard Lancelot Tashayawedu was assigned to guard the premises overnight.
The court heard that at about 1 am on February 25, 2024, the five accused and their accomplices, who are still at large, armed themselves with a revolver, an unidentified blank pistol, an electric drill, an iron bar and bolt cutters before storming the premises.
They cut through the perimeter fence and confronted Tashayawedu, who was asleep in a room at the back of the property.
They threatened him with violence before tying him and his girlfriend with electric cables.
One robber remained guarding the pair while the others broke into the main office building through a window.
The gang ransacked several offices, including the managing director’s office, boardroom and server room, before stealing two HP laptops and a Wi-Fi router.
They then used explosives to blast open the vault and stole US$ 744 676, R10 500, €120 and a 7.65mm CZ Vzor pistol.
As they fled, members of a Safeguard reaction team arrived at the scene. One of the robbers fired two shots into the air, forcing the security team to retreat before the gang escaped through a neighbouring property.
Investigations by detectives from CID Homicide Harare were aided by CCTV footage recovered from the company’s security system.
Upon reviewing the footage, detectives identified Mangwanda, Chikukwa and Mukanganise, whom they already knew from the Mbare area.
A manhunt was launched, leading to Mangwanda’s arrest in Harare’s central business district while driving a black Mercedes-Benz used as the getaway vehicle. He later led police to the recovery of US$21 000.
Detectives subsequently arrested Chikukwa and Matambo in Mbare. Chikukwa led investigators to US$25 000 and a blue Ford Ranger purchased for US$14 300 using proceeds of the robbery.
Matambo led police to US$1 000 found on his person and a further US$20 000 recovered from his rural home in Bocha, Marange.
A Toyota Aqua bought for US$5 300 with stolen funds was also recovered. Mukanganise was arrested near the Boka Tobacco Auction Floors in Southlea Park and led detectives to US$20 560 hidden at his residence, together with other property acquired using the stolen money.
Zinyengere was arrested along Simon Mazorodze Road and directed detectives to US$17 600 from his share of the loot.
He also led police to a Toyota Mark X purchased for US$11 000, as well as two high-end mobile phones, an iPhone 14 Pro Max and an iPhone 15 Pro Max bought using proceeds of the crime.
The court heard that while a total of US$ 744 676, R10 500, and €120 was stolen, investigators recovered cash amounting to US$166 180, the stolen firearm, vehicles worth US$36 600 and other property valued at US$3 695, bringing the total value of recovered assets to US$206 475.
