I Wanted To Move My Property, Carjacker Tells Court Before 12-year Sentence

A 30-year-old unemployed man from Zvishavane has been sentenced to an effective 12 years in prison for carjacking.

Noah Zhou, from Makanga Village under Chief Mazvihwa in Zvishavane, was sentenced by Masvingo Regional Magistrate Innocent Bepura on July 15 after pleading guilty to robbery.

Zhou told the court he intended to use the vehicle to transport his belongings before dumping it. He pleaded for leniency, saying he had been influenced by his accomplice and that he suffers from epilepsy.

In passing sentence, Magistrate Bepura said robbery cases were becoming increasingly common in Masvingo and that courts have a duty to impose deterrent sentences.

Prosecutor Innocent Mudzingwa told the court that on June 15, 2026, at around 12:45am, Zhou and an accomplice identified only as Terrence, who is still at large, approached 36-year-old taxi driver Tafadzwa Mutero outside Mundondo Night Club in Mucheke, Masvingo, pretending to be genuine passengers.

The pair hired Mutero to take them to the Jairos Jiri area for US$4. Zhou sat in the back seat while his accomplice sat in the front passenger seat, directing the driver along unfamiliar roads.

Upon arrival, Zhou instructed Mutero to stop the vehicle, switch off the engine and hand over the car keys while wielding a machete. He struck Mutero once on the back with the machete and robbed him of US$15 in cash, a cellphone and his shoes.

He assaulted Mutero again and ordered him to leave before driving away in the Toyota Probox towards Mucheke Rank. Mutero reported the robbery at Chikato Police Station.

Investigations led to the recovery of the vehicle on July 3 at Mashava Tollgate, where it was being driven by Admire Hungwe, who told police he had hired it from Zhou. Zhou had allegedly claimed to be an artisanal miner operating in Zvishavane and Mberengwa. The vehicle was taken to CID Masvingo as an exhibit.

On July 12, detectives from CID Masvingo received information that Zhou was in Zvishavane. They arrested him there and he led police to the crime for an indication scene the following day.

The total value of stolen property was US$8,605, of which property worth US$8,500 was recovered.