Online Reporter
Givemore Muzariri
MEET Jethro Mthokozisi Gumede, a man whose life has been marred by loss and regret. Once a loving father and husband, his world was turned upside down when he was sentenced to 28 years in prison for armed robbery and car hijacking, later reduced to 20 years on the condition he wouldn’t re-offend within five years.
During his sentence, Gumede’s life continued to unravel. His wife left him, taking their only child. The family home was sold to pay off debts, and three cars disappeared without a trace. To make matters worse, his parents passed away while he was incarcerated, leaving him without a support system. Upon his release, he had no family, no home, and no clear direction, forcing him to start from scratch after 20 years in prison.
“My brother, to be honest I am a failure and I am failing to forgive myself for what I did to myself and even to those close to me. If it was not for lack of patience I would be a better person living a better life. It was unfortunate that I grew up in a society that had a lot of omalayitsha and whenever they came back from South Africa, they used to share their best moments across Limpopo River.
“That information really inspired me to an extent that I decided to drop out of school to join these guys. Little did I know that my decision would land me in a place like Khami Maximum Prison,” he said.
Gumede revealed that after dropping out of school, he went to South Africa, where his friends trained him in handling guns. This training led him to high-profile crimes, specialising in robberies and car hijackings.
“I got to South Africa and I was given a guy to teach me how to handle guns and in the process they told me that my money was supposed to come out of that weapon. So it was time to graduate from childhood to manhood within a short space of time.
“I was taken through a rigorous training of weapon handling for about a year and in the process I was also equipped with the best skills to escape from any situation without being hurt or caught,”he said.
After completing his training, he quickly took to the field, enjoying his work robbing people and hijacking vehicles.
They targeted high-value SUVs, particularly Toyota and Isuzu models, which fetched up to $30 000 in the Mozambican market.
After four years with his team, Gumede gained enough experience to break away and form his own group based in Botswana, raiding various parts of Southern Africa. His former teammates saw this move as a betrayal.
“I really enjoyed working with my home boys, who initiated me into the game of crime but after having spent four years together I discovered the importance of growing up and with that in mind I later thought of leaving the group to start my own thing. Like any other leader I went back home to recruit the guys that I felt comfortable working with in all the operations that had a potential of giving us money,” he said.
Feeling betrayed, the leader of the group informed police in Zimbabwe that Gumede was behind the Bellevue garage robbery, which resulted in a police officer being shot. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) reported this to Interpol Pretoria, leading to Gumede’s arrest and imprisonment for 20 years.
“When I got to prison I actually attempted to commit suicide but while in the process I asked myself what my daughter would say about my actions. I immediately calmed myself down and accepted the situation that was on the ground. This later saw me adjusting to the new environment with the aim of realigning my life which had gone way ward. The chaplain section at Khami Remand Prison took me for a number of counselling sessions and it really helped me to understand that I was in prison to change my behaviour,” he said.
Through counselling sessions in prison, Gumede realised that his incarceration was an opportunity to reflect on his life and transform into a productive citizen. He returned to school, starting from Grade Three up to form four, although he couldn’t sit for his final exams due to lack of funds.
“I would like to thank the opportunity that I was given by Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service to go back to school and at least have an opportunity to have an appreciation of what would be happening in class. Just being in class really helped me to think like a normal human being, knowing the difference between the good and the bad as we interact with other people in our society.
“Soon after attending my school classes up to Form Four, I discovered that I had the potential to change my life for the best. While at school I realised that I was a talented musician so I decided to join a group called Abahambi. While with the group we performed to entertain and educate other inmates who were following our music while in prison and from that platform I developed confidence to start a group of my own,” he said.
While in prison, Gumede learned that his wife had been evicted from their home by his relatives, leading to a long period of depression. To rediscover himself, he became a full-time accapella musician. The eviction forced his family to return to her parents’ house.
“I went through the most difficult times whilst in prison and I think you can imagine, you in prison and your family is evicted from your house by your selfish relatives. Honestly, I had no control over what was happening but to simply watch and as a counter measure to that stress I decide to join Abahambi. The music might have been entertaining but to me it was a way of trying to console myself from what I was going through and of interest three cars that I left disappeared with no trace to this day,” he said.
In 2020, Gumede was transferred from Khami Remand Prison to Khami Maximum Prison, where he formed a group called Amabhubesi Sons of Asegai. They competed on various platforms and were later invited to participate in imbube celebrations organised by Black Umfolosi.
Gumede said he left a legacy with Amabhubesi Sons of Asegai in prison before benefiting from the presidential amnesty in 2024. After his release, he moved back to South Africa to start over, having lost everything at the time of his arrest.
“Soon after being released from prison I travelled to my rural home to see where my parents had been laid to rest while I was still serving my sentence. It was not an easy thing for me to accept that I had lost all my beloved ones while in prison. I recently located my daughter in South Africa and it is painful that she only got to see me physically after 22 years.
“When we interact I can tell that I am dealing with a broken child, who never had an opportunity to grow up and experience the love of her father. I would like to urge my young brothers and sisters out there to avoid crime as it has got long term effects,” he said.
