Chinhoyi Man Convicted, Partially Suspended Sentence for Theft of Trust Property

By Staff Reporter

CHINHOYI – A 23-year-old man, Shawn Chiboyiwa, has been convicted and handed a six-month prison sentence, partially suspended, by the Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court for two counts of theft of trust property. The case, which concluded today, involved Chiboyiwa defrauding two Chinhoyi residents through deceptive cellphone sale arrangements.

The court heard that on March 24, 2025, Chiboyiwa approached Caroline Munyaradzi (30), a self-employed individual, falsely claiming to have prospective buyers for cellphones. Relying on this representation, Ms. Munyaradzi entrusted Chiboyiwa with a Nokia G22 and a Huawei P Smart, valued at a total of US340. Chiboyiwa subsequently failed to return with the agreed-upon payment and became uncommunicative. Police investigations on March 27 led to Chiboyiwa’s arrest and the recovery of the Nokia G22, valued at US220, from a third party who had purchased it from the accused.

In a separate incident, Chiboyiwa similarly engaged Tapfumaneyi Marima (35), claiming to have potential customers for cellphones. Mr. Marima handed over a Huawei Y9 and a Samsung A10S, valued at US90. Chiboyiwa again failed to return with the money or the devices. Following his arrest, the Huawei Y9, valued at US50, was recovered from an individual who had bought it from Chiboyiwa.

The Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court sentenced Chiboyiwa to six months imprisonment. However, three months of this sentence were suspended on the condition that he restitutes US120 to Ms. Munyaradzi and US40 to Mr. Marima. The remaining three months of the sentence were further suspended for five years, provided that Chiboyiwa does not commit a similar offense during that period.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) confirmed the outcome of the case, underscoring their commitment to prosecuting individuals who violate the trust placed in them and engage in fraudulent activities. The recovery of the stolen property highlights the effectiveness of police investigations in such cases.