The swimmer said she had arrived back at Harare airport after a trip and got into a vehicle to go home. But about five men smashed the back window of the vehicle she was travelling in with her fiancé, her sister, brother-in-law and her young niece and nephew.
Narrating her ordeal on her Facebook page, the 29 year old former world record holder said: “My sister and I were sitting behind my fiancé and her husband who was driving. My sister grabbed my two year old niece and five year old nephew and I threw myself into the back of the vehicle to try hold onto our bags. Whilst wrestling with one of the men over our suitcases, I cut myself on the shattered glass. Unfortunately, so did one of the thieves.
“I now have to take antiretroviral medication. The ARVs may be unnecessary, but HIV is a serious problem in Africa and you can never be too careful. I understand how desperate these men must be to do this, but that does not make it right.”
One of the thieves was caught after Coventry’s fiancé and brother-in-law chased after the robbers. She said the others got away with one bag.
Coventry said the experience was “scary” but is thankful that she and her family members survived the robbery. She received hundreds of messages of support on her Facebook page.
She said: “So many people are struggling in their daily lives and instead of stealing from each other and creating terror for others, we should be working together to create jobs and helping each other.”
One of her fans wrote:” People who are employed also steal, so creating jobs won’t solve crime. We should unleash heavy and painful sentences for those convicted of crime…they will definitely think twice before they snatch a bag.”
Social commentator and popular cartoonist Tony Namate said what happened to Coventry is worrying, but sadly there are many other victims in Zimbabwe who are attacked on a regular basis and are not fortunate enough to have immediate access to ARVs as a preventative measure.
Namate said what is needed in Zimbabwe right now is the political will to deal with the escalating levels of crime.
In other news, a notorious cattle rustler was this week sentenced to 52 years in prison for stealing seven cows in Mashonaland East. The state broadcaster said Elson Chimutunga Mutamba, who was arrested last month following a spate of stock-theft cases in the Chihota communal areas, was convicted of stealing the cattle from different people since December last year.
Recently a 14-year-old boy who raped and impregnated a deaf and mute 12-year-old girl only received four strokes as punishment.
While some legal experts say the perpetrator was given a lighter sentence because he was a minor when he committed the crime, Zimbabwe has seen many similar cases where much older rapists have been given lenient sentences.
Namate told SW Radio Africa that this is why people don’t have faith in the justice system in Zimbabwe, which seems to value cows more than victims of violent attacks.
He said it’s very painful to see that authorities continue to put so much value on an animal that can be replaced. He added: “Cattle are easily replaced but it is very difficult to replace the life of a 12 year old who has been raped. It does not make sense.” – SW Radio Africa
Post published in: News
its a sad thing but ZIMBABWE is still a better place in terms of crime than most of african countries.
This Namate person haana hunhu, does he not know the importance of cattle in Shona customs? Economically; Socially and Spiritually? If it had been, “those without knees” perhaps, not NAMATE!
KIRSTY’S NIGHTMARE AT THE HANDS OF THUGS, CORRUPTION AND MASS SUFFERING SIMPLY TELLS US ALL TO GO AND VOTE FOR OUR LIVES AND HUMANITY BACK.LET’S NOT BE BOGGED DOWN BY RIGGING FEARS. THAT’S SECONDARY AND A NICE SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND IF IT HAPPENS. OOH!’, GRACIOUS LORD