Fake employment agent who preyed on female job seekers jailed 80 years
A Chitungwiza man who posed as a job placement agent to lure and rape young women desperate for employment has been jailed for 80 years by a regional court.
Aaron Sanyamahwe, aged 36, from Unit N, Seke, was convicted on four counts of rape, with the magistrate handing down 20 years per count, to be served consecutively.
The sentencing took place at the Chitungwiza Regional Magistrates’ Court on 11 June 2025, drawing strong reactions from the public and the justice system alike.
“This was a calculated abuse of trust. He deliberately targeted vulnerable job seekers and subjected them to horrifying violence,” said the State prosecutor in court.
Lured With False Hope
The court heard that Sanyamahwe set up a fake employment network, claiming to offer domestic and retail jobs to young women struggling to find work. He reached out via informal networks and social media, often using word-of-mouth referrals to build trust.
“He told me he had connections at a supermarket in town. I believed him because he sounded professional,” one of the survivors told the court.
After arranging meetings under the guise of conducting job interviews, Sanyamahwe would take the women to isolated areas in Dema, about 30km outside Harare. Once there, he blindfolded the victims under the pretence of a company policy or to protect a “confidential location”.
“He said the job was at a private residence and they didn’t want people knowing where it was. I was scared, but desperate,” another survivor recalled.
Instead of leading them to a job, he drove them to a second remote location, strangled them, and then raped them.
Prosecutors said his pattern of attack was consistent and deliberate.
Survivors Still Traumatised
The survivors, many of them between 18 and 25, continue to struggle with trauma. Some withdrew from family and social circles, while others abandoned their search for work altogether.
“He destroyed my trust in people. I can’t even look for a job anymore,” said one of the young women.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) released a statement following the verdict.
“The 80-year sentence sends a strong message to would-be offenders that sexual violence will be met with the full force of the law,”
said the NPA.“We urge job seekers to remain alert and never place blind trust in strangers, regardless of how legitimate they may appear.”
A Fake Agent Exposed
Investigators managed to track Sanyamahwe through a combination of mobile phone data, survivor testimonies, and community reports. He had no registered company, no office, and no employment agency credentials.
“He operated purely on deception. There was never a real job – only a trap,” said one investigating officer.
His final arrest came after one of the survivors managed to escape and report to police, leading to his identification and eventual prosecution.
Though justice has now been served, many say the scars left by Sanyamahwe’s actions will take years to heal.
Sanyamahwe will serve his full sentence without the option of parole. Under Zimbabwean law, rape carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years – but in this case, the court opted for the maximum penalty on each count.
The 80-year sentence is one of the harshest ever handed down for a serial sexual offence in the country.
