CUT Student Risks Life Sentence Over Pharmacy Robbery For Groceries
A Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) student, Panashe Nyakwima, has been arrested after allegedly stealing a pistol from his landlord and using it to rob a pharmacy in Harare. Authorities say the 22-year-old then spent part of the stolen cash on groceries for his girlfriend in what has been described as a bizarre case of a “Fadza Madzimai” (please the wife/girlfriend) attempt gone wrong.
A student’s shocking downfall
According to the Daily News, Nyakwima appeared in court over the weekend, facing charges of robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm, and theft. He was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
The Daily News reported:
“A Harare man, who is a student at the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), allegedly stole a pistol from his landlord, robbed a pharmacy and later used part of the money to buy groceries for his girlfriend.”
Court documents show that Nyakwima was arrested soon after the robbery, and the pistol was recovered.
Police confirmed the unusual incident and said investigations are still underway.
The ‘fadza madzimai’ angle
The phrase “fadza madzimai” — meaning “please the wife or girlfriend” — has been used on social media to describe Nyakwima’s motive. The groceries, which were reportedly bought with stolen funds, have turned what could have been a typical robbery case into a story that has left many shocked.
What the law says
Zimbabwe’s Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] outlines stiff penalties for the crimes Nyakwima is accused of.
Section 126(2)(a) on robbery states:
“If the convicted person used or threatened to use a firearm or any other weapon likely to cause serious bodily injury, he or she shall be liable to imprisonment for life or for any definite period of not less than ten years.”
Section 27 of the Firearms Act [Chapter 10:09], which is read together with the Criminal Code, deals with unlawful possession of a firearm:
“Any person who is found in unlawful possession of a firearm shall be guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years.”
On theft, Section 113(1) of the Criminal Code states:
“Any person who takes property capable of being stolen, knowing that another person is entitled to own, possess or control it, with the intention of permanently depriving that other person of it, shall be guilty of theft.”
The penalty for theft varies with the value of the stolen property but may include imprisonment.
This means that if convicted of all counts, Nyakwima could face a minimum of 10 years in jail for the armed robbery charge alone, with the possibility of life imprisonment. The firearm charge could add up to five years, while the theft charge may add several more years.
For now, he remains in custody while his bail application is considered.
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The post CUT University Student Commits Armed Robbery To Buy Groceries For Girlfriend As “Fadza Madzimai” Goes Wrong appeared first on iHarare News.
