A Harare man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after a violent robbery at N Richards Wholesale in Chivi.
Kenneth Mavhiza, 31, was convicted of robbery over the May 2025 raid.
The Damafalls Phase 2 resident appeared before Masvingo Provincial Magistrate Innocent Bepura on 17 September.
He was arrested in Harare on 12 September before being brought before the court.
Mavhiza committed the offence alongside five accomplices who remain at large.
Armed gang storms Chivi wholesale
Prosecutor Libery Hove told the court that the gang struck around 1am on 11 May 2025.
The suspects arrived at Chivi Business Centre carrying four pistols.
They confronted security guard Taurai Chikume at the entrance before taking him hostage.
Mavhiza then forced Chikume towards a container cabin behind the business premises.
He tied the guard’s hands and legs using capped fuses.
Mavhiza also threatened to shoot him if he resisted.
The gang then turned its attention towards the wholesale premises.
The robbers used an iron bar to break the main entrance padlock.
They subsequently entered the building and headed towards the cash office.
Safe blasted open during robbery
According to the State, Mavhiza used dynamite to open a Chubb safe.
He then stole US$31,000 and R110,000 from inside the safe.
The gang also targeted another safe containing an additional US$12,000.
However, their attempt to break open the second safe failed.
Police investigations eventually connected Mavhiza to the robbery.
Detectives arrested him in Harare several months after the incident.
Following his arrest, Mavhiza reportedly took detectives to N Richards Wholesale.
He showed investigators how the robbery was carried out.
However, police did not recover any of the stolen money.
Meanwhile, his five alleged accomplices remain at large.
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