Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa
Senior Reporter
FIRST Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday attended cases of national interest at Rotten Row Magistrates’ Courts in Harare, where Guruve murder suspect Anymore Zvitsva was sentenced to 89 years on 10 counts.
Dr Mnangagwa, who followed proceedings and witnessed justice prevail, also observed other cases, including a rape case involving a woman with disability who appeared in a wheelchair, as part of her efforts to understand how such matters are handled within the formal justice system.
While Zvitsva still faces separate 25 murder charges expected to proceed before the High Court, yesterday’s proceedings offered survivors a rare moment of relief.
For many, the sight of the First Lady sitting among grieving families brought an added sense that their pain had finally been heard.
The First Lady has been touring the country to gain a first-hand understanding of traditional courts and how justice is administered at the community level, now shifting her focus to the formal justice system with a visit to Rotten Row Magistrates’ Court.
The visit was aimed at appreciating how cases are tried in modern law courts and how the formal and traditional systems interact within Zimbabwe’s justice delivery framework.
Court officials walked her through the handling of criminal and civil matters, case management procedures, and the roles of magistrates, prosecutors and legal practitioners, before she attended court sessions on her own.
Just like any court attendee, Dr Mnangagwa sat quietly in the packed courtroom, although her face was heavy with emotion as survivors of one of Guruve’s darkest crime sprees finally watched justice begin to take shape as Zvitsva was being sentenced.
The First Lady is still struggling to comprehend the brutality that traumatised communities in Guruve and the nation at large, forcing some families to abandon their homes.
Concerned by the matter, the First Lady initially visited the Guruve community and Zvitsva at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison to gain insight into the mind of the suspect behind the gruesome murders, which remain one of the most disturbing cases in the country’s recent history.
For many victims and their families, the presence of Dr Mnangagwa was more than symbolic. It was seen as a gesture of solidarity with traumatised women, children
and villagers who had lived for months under the shadow of fear allegedly created by convicted rapist and violent offender Zvitsva.
The courtroom fell silent as Harare Regional Magistrate Francis Mapfumo convicted Zvitsva on 10 counts after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges of rape, attempted murder and robbery.
The court nearly broke down in tears as the State outlined how women were ambushed in their homes, strangled with snare wire, stabbed and sexually assaulted in isolated mountain areas.
The court heard that Zvitsva, of Vheremu Village under Chief Chipuriro, carried out a string of violent attacks across several villages, targeting multiple victims in separate incidents.
On October 9, 2025 at around 0900 hours, Zvitsva allegedly broke into the home of Providence Maruza (27) in Ditwi Village while she was asleep. He is said to have threatened her with an Okapi knife, restrained her with wire and forcibly dragged her to Dangemvurwi Mountain, about 50 metres from her homestead.
At a secluded spot, he allegedly raped her without consent. After the attack, he further assaulted her and stabbed her once in the back and neck, leaving her unconscious.
On October 27, 2025 at Chipameso Village under Chief Bepura, Zvitsva is alleged to have used violence against Brian Ngoshi during a robbery in which he stole a cigarette lighter, a packet of cigarettes and a 500ml soft drink.
Later the same day, at Mudhindo Village, the accused is alleged to have raped a 62-year-old woman, Reginet Sango. During the same incident, he allegedly attempted to strangle her using a wire tied around her neck before fleeing the scene.
On November 18, 2025 at Mupinyuri Village under Chief Chipuriro, Zvitsva allegedly carried out two separate attempted murder attacks.
In one incident, he is said to have attempted to strangle Nyaradzai Mupinyuri using snare wire. In another, he allegedly stabbed Malvin Mupinyuri several times with a spear, targeting the abdomen, chest, ribs and neck.
On December 13, 2025 at Chitunhu Village under Chief Bepura, the court heard that Zvitsva assaulted Fortune Mwazha by striking her on the back of the neck with a log before attempting to strangle her with wire.
On December 19, 2025, two further rape incidents were reported in Chief Chipuriro’s area. Zvitsva is alleged to have raped Previous Chimhanga (35) at Chimhanga Village, and later raped Josephine Chishanu Machingura (14), a juvenile, at Muzura Farm. Both incidents were said to have occurred without the complainants’ consent.
The court also heard that in several of the incidents, the accused used weapons including wire, a spear and a log, and in some cases attempted to kill the victims during or after the sexual assaults.
Zvitsva was sentenced after being found guilty on all counts, with the court noting the seriousness of the offences, the repeated nature of the attacks and the number of victims involved.
One of the most emotional moments in court came when the rape of 62-year-old Reginet Sango at Mudhindo Village was heard.
The State alleged that on October 27, 2025, Zvitsva “unlawfully and intentionally had sexual intercourse with Reginet Sango, a female aged 62 years, without her consent.”
It was further heard that he later attempted to murder her by strangling her “with a wire around the neck.”
The court also heard allegations involving the rape of Previous Chimhanga and a 14-year-old juvenile from Muzura Farm.
In a separate but equally disturbing matter heard before Magistrate Donald Ndirowei during the proceedings, Prosecutor Blessed Songozo outlined allegations against Sifelani Tibwichi, a 35-year-old caretaker employed by the Jairos Jiri Association in Waterfalls, Harare.
The complainant, 46-year-old (name supplied), a disabled woman who had travelled to Harare intending to meet her estate lawyer.
According to the State outline, after failing to locate the lawyer, she sought temporary accommodation at the Jairos Jiri Association, where she was offered a place to stay.
Prosecutor Songozo said Tibwichi occasionally assisted the complainant in moving in and out of her room and provided her food during her stay.
However, the State alleges that on April 2, 2026 at around 10 pm, the accused went to the complainant’s room and demanded sexual intercourse.
According to prosecutors, the complainant refused his advances and repeatedly stated that she was physically unable to resist due to her disability.
In a disturbing excerpt read before the court, prosecutors said the complainant told the accused “that she could not fight or resist him.”
The State further alleges that Tibwichi later returned with condoms and proceeded to sexually assault the complainant.
Prosecutors told the court that despite the complainant again expressing her lack of consent, “the accused person laid the complainant on the bed and removed her pants.”
The State added that the accused “produced his erect manhood and had protected sexual intercourse with the complainant once without her consent.”
The complainant later filed a police report, leading to Tibwichi’s arrest. She was subsequently referred to Mbare Polyclinic for medical examination.
During cross-examination, when the accused alleged that the complainant had lured him, the court reacted with laughter following her response.
“I would not agree to have sex with you. I am a graduate, having completed my studies at Solusi University. Why would I solicit sex from a ‘virtually nobody’ man like yourself?” said the complainant.
The matter was postponed to May 28 this year, pending the testimony of one witness.
