Kasawala Shiri (28), of Clifton Park, Gweru, has been sentenced to five years in prison, with one year suspended, after being convicted of armed robbery by the Shurugwi Magistrates’ Court. He will serve an effective four-year term.
The court heard that on December 22, 2024, Shiri, together with an accomplice, Tanaka Zhou, who is still at large, broke into a home at Hycania Farm, Shurugwi, armed with knives. During the robbery, Shiri held a knife to the complainant’s neck, threatening to kill him if he resisted.
The duo ransacked the house, stealing various items, including a Samsung Galaxy A11 cellphone, a 40-inch LG television, an electric motor, a welding machine, and grocery items. After the robbery, they fled the scene.
The complainant, who recognized Shiri as a former worker at a neighboring farm, alerted other farm workers. Together, they pursued the robbers, forcing them to abandon the stolen goods as they escaped. Shiri was later apprehended following a tip-off.
