Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - A member of Zimbabwe’s Commando Regiment has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to robbing a Roman Catholic priest during a night-time raid.
Learnmore Gwenyaya, 31, who serves with the 1 Commando
Regiment at Block 5 in Harare, appeared before Rusape Magistrate Tendai Mahwe
on Monday and was convicted on a robbery charge. The court heard that on the
night of December 7, 2025, Father Kanisious Mashati retired to bed after
locking the main entrance and his bedroom door, while domestic worker Margret
Mafeni secured all the windows.
At about 1:30 a.m. on December 8, Gwenyaya and two
accomplices, who remain at large, allegedly arrived at the residence armed with
an iron bar, a shovel and an okapi knife. The trio, who wore balaclavas to
conceal their identities, reportedly gained access to the house using duplicate
keys before forcing their way into the priest’s bedroom.
Prosecutors said Father Mashati attempted to resist the
attackers but was assaulted with an iron bar and a shovel. During the struggle,
he threw a bottle of wine at the intruders, injuring Gwenyaya. However, the
priest eventually surrendered after being threatened with an okapi knife. The
assailants searched the room and stole an Itel A70 mobile phone before fleeing
the scene.
Police officers on patrol later intercepted the suspects
near Halfway House along the Harare–Mutare Road at about 3:30 a.m. While two
suspects escaped, Gwenyaya was arrested. A subsequent search led to the
recovery of a live cartridge, and investigations established that he did not
possess a valid firearm certificate.
For the robbery offence, Magistrate Mahwe sentenced Gwenyaya
to five years imprisonment, with one year suspended on condition of good
behaviour, leaving him to serve an effective four-year jail term. On a separate
charge relating to unlawful possession of ammunition, the court imposed a
US$300 fine or, in default of payment, four months imprisonment. The ammunition
was also forfeited to the State.
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