BREAKING NEWS: First Lady Attends Sentencing of Guruve Serial Offender Anymore Zvitsva who is Jailed 89 Years
Guruve serial offender Anymore Zvitsva (35) has been sentenced to 89 years in prison by the Harare Regional Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to rape, attempted murder and robbery. The case, attended by Zimbabwe’s First Lady, highlighted the nation’s stance against gender-based violence and violent crime.
Dumisani Ndlovu 
Harare - Guruve serial offender Anymore Zvitsva (35) has been sentenced to an effective 89 years imprisonment by the Harare Regional Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to 10 counts of rape, attempted murder and robbery.
Zvitsva, who had become a fugitive and terrorised communities in Guruve between October and December 2025, admitted to four counts of rape, five counts of attempted murder and one count of robbery.
He appeared before regional magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo, while Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti prosecuted on behalf of the State.
The high-profile case, which became one of the most talked-about criminal trials in Zimbabwe this year, attracted widespread public attention and drew the attendance of Zimbabwe’s First Lady, , during sentencing proceedings at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
Zvitsva was convicted over what prosecutors described as a calculated campaign of terror targeting vulnerable villagers, including women, children and elderly residents.
Among the complainants were a 14-year-old juvenile and a 62-year-old woman, both subjected to horrific attacks.
Court proceedings revealed that the offender used weapons, shoelaces and snare wire to restrain victims before dragging them into bushes, mountainous terrain and isolated areas where the offences were committed.
In some incidents, he stabbed victims in the neck, chest and abdomen using knives and spears, while in others he strangled complainants with snare wire until they lost consciousness.
The court further heard that Zvitsva broke into homes at night, at times wearing a balaclava, before attacking sleeping families.
In one robbery incident, he assaulted a man with a machete before stealing cigarettes, a cigarette lighter and a soft drink.
His reign of terror came to an end on January 3, 2026, following his arrest after months on the run.
Police investigations later led to indications at several crime scenes, including the recovery of a red t-shirt belonging to one of the victims allegedly hidden under a log near an anthill.
Prosecutors described the offences as exceptionally brutal and marked by extreme cruelty, arguing that the crimes inflicted lasting trauma on both the victims and the wider Guruve community.
Meanwhile, Zvitsva is still awaiting indictment before the High Court on separate murder charges allegedly linked to incidents committed in the Guruve area during the same period.
