By Judith Nyuke
A 19-year-old man from Domboshava has been sentenced to two years in prison for stealing over US$15,000 worth of cellphones from a shop owned by Colonel Miniyothabo Baloyi Chiwenga, the wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
Succeed Mukaro was initially sentenced to five years imprisonment, with two years suspended for five years of good behavior and an additional year suspended on the condition that he fully repay the complainant.
Mukaro appeared before Harare Provincial Magistrate Ethel Chichera.
According to prosecutor Polite Chikiwa, the incident took place on May 31, 2025, at around 3:00 PM when Ossie Shone, the shop supervisor in Borrowdale, Harare, locked up and secured the premises before leaving with the keys.
Later that evening, around 7:10 PM, Mukaro broke through the front glass wall to gain entry and stole mobile phones valued at US$15,915 before fleeing.
It is the State’s case that on June 3, detectives received information that stolen cellphones were being sold in Harare’s central business district.
They traced the devices to a dealer, Blessed Luciano, from whom they recovered some of the stolen phones. Luciano revealed he had purchased them from Isaac Craig Chaza.
Detectives, posing as potential buyers, lured Chaza into a meeting. He arrived with Strive Makangira, and officers recovered more stolen phones from them.
Upon questioning, Chaza admitted that Mukaro had supplied him with the phones to sell.
The State proved that Chaza and Makangira then led detectives to Joina City Mall, where Mukaro was apprehended. More stolen phones were recovered at his residence in Domboshava.
