A Harare magistrate has sentenced Paul Enest Mzenge Zhou to an effective eight years in prison after he was found guilty of leading a transnational armed robbery syndicate that plotted a series of high-profile attacks in Harare and Kwekwe in 2023.
Zhou and his South African accomplices, Ndiafhi Makhado, Andrew Reabetore Masubelele and Emmanuel Makam, allegedly moved between South Africa and Zimbabwe to coordinate the planned robberies.
Two other members of the group, Jabulani Ngobeni and Godknows Machingura, have since died.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the gang first targeted a businessman in Mt Pleasant, Harare, in November 2023.
The robbers, who were travelling in a gold Toyota Fortuner and a black Toyota Surf, and armed with pistols, approached the victim’s home but abandoned the plan after discovering that detectives had set up an ambush.
The syndicate regrouped the following month. Between 16 and 19 December 2023, they allegedly conspired to rob Kwekwe resident Hu Jiaguang and later plotted to raid Chroneweld Minerals.
Police investigations led detectives to a guest house in Arcadia, where they moved in to apprehend the suspects. During the operation, shots were fired, and Ngobeni was injured and arrested.
A subsequent attempt by Machingura to escape at Morgan High School also resulted in an exchange of gunfire before he was captured. Police recovered two pistols, several rounds of ammunition and three vehicles linked to the gang.
Zhou was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment, with four years suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving him to serve an effective eight years behind bars.
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