KEY POINTS
- Bigboy Nampungo received 60 years for robbing Wicknell Chivayo’s in-laws.
- The gang stole US$74,000 from the victims at the Alpha and Omega farm.
- Nampungo’s accomplices are still facing charges and awaiting trial.
Bigboy Nampungo, 27, was sentenced to 60 years in prison by a Harare magistrate after pleading guilty to charges of armed robbery. Nampungo was part of a gang that robbed six people at Alpha and Omega Farm in Marondera, stealing a total of US$74,000. Magistrate Jesse Kufa sentenced Nampungo to 10 years for each of the six robbery counts, but the sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will serve 30 years effectively.
The robbery took place on March 18, 2025, at around 1 a.m. Nampungo and his accomplices, who are still at large, attacked the farm with weapons, including rifles, pistols, machetes, and bolt cutters. The gang confronted and assaulted security guards, forcing them to surrender their firearms and cash. The victims were security guards Zex Mutasha Rusike, Petros Mabhunu, Medic Zhakata, Tinotenda Shonhiwa, Gerald Muteke, and Vimbai Muteke.
Details of the robbery
According to NewZimbabwe, the armed gang arrived at the farm and immediately confronted Mabhunu, the security guard on duty. They assaulted him with iron bars and booted feet, demanding information on the whereabouts of the other guards. They tied him up before proceeding to Rusike, another guard, and disarmed him of his shotgun. The gang then continued their assault on other security personnel, tying their hands and legs with cable ties.
Once inside the farm’s main house, the gang forced their way into the residence, where they encountered Gerald Muteke. After threatening him, they stole US$18,000 in cash, a Sarsilmaz pistol, and two phones. The gang also forced Vimbai Muteke to open a safe, from which they stole US$55,000 in cash. As the robbers were fleeing, a guard, Elphas Maruta, confronted them. Armed with a rifle, Maruta fired two warning shots, but the gang returned fire before escaping with the stolen property.
Legal outcome for Nampungo
Bigboy Nampungo’s sentencing marks the legal conclusion of his involvement in the robbery, with his trial fast-tracked due to his guilty plea. His accomplices, including Garikai Shangwa, Temptation Dinhidza, Arnold Tafirei, Tawanda Mushayatu, Mike Mhaka, Maramba Vhiya, and Takudzwa Maisvoreva, are all still denying the charges and awaiting trial. The stolen goods, valued at US$74,000, were never fully recovered, and investigations into the whereabouts of the remaining suspects continue.
The court’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of violent crimes such as armed robbery. Nampungo’s 30-year sentence for his role in the attack aims to bring justice to the victims, and the trials of the remaining suspects are expected to follow soon.
