Eight-Year Sentence for Man Who Exploited Disability to Rob Health Workers
HARARE – In a shocking case of deception and calculated theft, a Chitungwiza man who posed as a disabled patient to rob hospitals and health workers has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
He was convicted on eight counts of unlawful entry involving theft from medical facilities across Harare.
Benjamin Mutambanengwe (38), from Unit K in Chitungwiza, was found guilty after a full trial before Harare magistrate Mr Blessing Mafukidze.
The court heard that he repeatedly targeted hospitals by using crutches to fake disability, gaining access to restricted areas and stealing valuable items from unsuspecting staff.
His criminal spree began on 9 September 2024 at Health Point Hospital, where he entered the premises pretending to be a patient in need of assistance.
While medical staff attended to an emergency, Mutambanengwe slipped into a doctor’s office and stole a ProBook laptop.
CCTV footage later confirmed his presence and actions.
On 25 September, he struck again at Avondale Clinic.
Arriving during visiting hours, he posed as a disabled visitor and accessed the reception area, where he stole a Samsung A13 cellphone from the table.
The theft was discovered shortly after, prompting a police report.
Later, on 24 October 2024, Mutambanengwe used the same tactic at Southland Regional, where he stole a Nokia G21 cellphone left in an office by health worker Vongai Makotore.
Investigations revealed that he had used this method at multiple hospitals, exploiting staff compassion and security gaps to carry out the thefts.
Following his arrest, Mutambanengwe voluntarily led police to the scenes and demonstrated how he committed the offences.
According to The Herald, his actions formed part of a broader pattern of hospital-related thefts that had raised concern among health institutions.
Magistrate Mafukidze ruled that the offences were committed under aggravating circumstances and showed deliberate planning.
In handing down the eight-year custodial sentence, the court emphasized the need to protect medical facilities from criminal exploitation and uphold public trust in healthcare environments.
