Harare – 19 May 2025

Harare Magistrate Tapiwa Banda has sentenced two Mahomed Mussa security guards to five years in prison after they were convicted of stealing US$195,000 from their employer in a carefully orchestrated inside job.

The convicted pair, Jeremiah Kwenda and Phineas Moyo, were both on duty at Mahomed Mussa Wholesalers on the night of December 21, 2024, when they allegedly colluded with an accomplice, Chamunorwa Muvhuti, to pull off the high-stakes theft.

According to court records, the two guards allowed Muvhuti to hide inside the premises after other workers had left. Later in the night, Muvhuti used a sharp metal object to force open a portable safe containing the large sum of cash. The theft was discovered the following day, prompting a swift police investigation.

In a dramatic turn, detectives tracked down Muvhuti on Christmas Day, arresting him in Pfungwe, where he had gone to pay lobola using part of the stolen funds. He was found with US$186,100, which he led police to recover. During interrogation, he implicated Kwenda and Moyo as key accomplices in the robbery.

Magistrate Banda initially handed each of the guards a five-year custodial sentence, but suspended two years on condition of good behaviour. An additional 18 months were suspended on condition of full restitution, meaning both will serve an effective 16 months behind bars.

Police have since confirmed that part of the stolen funds was successfully recovered, bringing partial relief to the complainant.