Four men have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after a gold deal turned into an armed robbery at a Gwanda mine, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The Gwanda Magistrates’ Court handed down a 12-year term, suspending two years on condition of good behaviour, convicting Fonet Maranganya (27), Malvin Maranganya (19), Prince Sibanda (22), and Tatenda Ndlovu (23) for robbery, according to a bulletin from the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe.
The attack unfolded on April 1, 2026, around 1900 hours at Ben Shire Mine, Bar 20, Gwanda. The victim, Learnmore Magodhi (39), believed he was negotiating a gold purchase when the group turned on him. As he counted out cash, one of the assailants grabbed the money and fired two shots from a pistol.
Magodhi fought back, disarming the shooter and biting his hand, forcing the four to flee. They made off with 15,000 South African rand, about $820, which has not been recovered. However, they left behind a Samsung cellphone, a blank pistol, clothing, and sandals, evidence that police used to track them down.
“Criminals who exploit trust and resort to violence will face decisive justice,” the NPAZ said in the bulletin.
The case underscores persistent security challenges for mine workers and small-scale buyers in Zimbabwe’s gold sector, where informal transactions often take place without oversight, creating openings for armed robberies disguised as legitimate deals.
