top of page
Search

20-Year Sentence for Serial Burglar Who Terrorized Harare’s Eastern Suburbs

  • Writer: Southerton Business Times
    Southerton Business Times
  • 12 hours ago
  • 2 min read

Mbare magistre's court billboard, where the case was held
Mbare magistre's court

Harare, Zimbabwe- The Mbare Magistrates Court has delivered a decisive blow to organized housebreaking, sentencing Chitungwiza resident Gift Elliot Mushonga Chibvongodze to a total of 20 years in prison. Chibvongodze, whose crime spree spanned several months across 2023 and 2024, was convicted of seven counts of unlawful entry in aggravating circumstances and three counts of robbery.


The convict targeted the affluent and middle-density suburbs of Arcadia, Cranborne, Queensdale, and Hatfield. His modus operandi involved forced entry into locked premises and, in more violent instances, direct robbery where occupants were threatened into submission.


Timeline of Major Thefts:

  • Dec 23, 2023: Forced entry while the complainant was away; US$4,785 stolen.

  • Jan 10, 2024: Theft of US$1,000, mobile phones, and valuables.

  • Feb 2, 2024: Vandalized a mounted safe at a business premise; US$7,800 stolen.

  • April 21, 2024: A single-night spree resulting in the theft of US$6,800, followed by a robbery of US$1,610, and a third hit valued at US$800.


Appearing before Magistrate Gakanje, with Fidelis Chiherenge prosecuting for the State, Chibvongodze’s long-standing connection to these cases, dating back to his arrest in May 2024, was finally concluded with a heavy custodial sentence.

Sentence Breakdown:

  • Total Sentence: 240 months (20 years).

  • Suspended Sentence: 40 months (3.3 years) suspended for five years on condition of good behavior.

  • Restitution Clause: 12 months suspended on the condition that the accused person restitutes the various complainants.


Detective Inspector Muteweri, the Provincial Community Relations Liaison Officer, applauded the courts for their "concerted effort in the fight against crime." The recovery of various cellphones during the arrest served as the final link in the forensic chain that secured the conviction. Residents in the affected areas have expressed relief, noting that the sentencing serves as a stern warning to other opportunistic criminals operating in residential zones.








Gift Elliot Mushonga Chibvongodze sentence



bottom of page