The Student Behind Bars: Is Owen Muteeri Innocent?
Case: US$238,000 Armed Robbery | Verdict: Guilty (17 Years) | Status: Appeal Pending
He was supposed to be starting his career as a social worker. Instead, 28-year-old Owen Muteeri is beginning a 17-year prison sentence. A final-year student at Midlands State University (MSU) and a night-shift security guard, Owen was convicted for his alleged role in a US$238,000 heist in December 2023. His family, legal team, and a growing wave of public supporters insist he is an innocent victim caught in a miscarriage of justice.
The Night Everything Changed
December 2023. Owen was studying for his final exams while on duty.
Unable to afford university fees after A-Levels, Owen worked for two years to save money before enrolling at MSU. He balanced day classes with night shifts at Securico. On the night of the robbery, he was reportedly working on his dissertation in the guardroom.
According to Owen, his guard dog reacted to activity outside. When he checked, he was confronted by armed robbers. They allegedly forced him to lock away the dog, handcuffed him with his own cuffs, and made him lie face-down while they used grinders to access the safe containing US$238,000.
Why Was He Convicted?
The "Inside Man" Theory
The State argued that Owen's actions and circumstances pointed to collaboration, not victimhood:
- Phone & Laptop: Unlike guards at a neighboring property who were robbed of their gadgets, Owen's phone and laptop were left untouched.
- The Buried Money: Prosecutors claimed Owen was given US$5,000 as his share. He led police to a hole where US$2,700 was recovered.
- Conspiracy: He faced charges of conspiring with the robbers, who remain at large.
The Defense: Victim of Circumstance
Owen's lawyer, Margaret Gezera, argued that a guilty accomplice would have fled the scene. instead, Owen stayed, reported the incident to the caretaker, and voluntarily showed police where the robbers forced him to hide the money.
The defense claims Owen was "brutally assaulted" by homicide officers desperate to link him to the crime. They also raised questions about the caretaker, who claimed to sleep through the loud noise of angle grinders opening a safe—a detail the defense says was never fully scrutinized.
A Nation's Empathy
The hashtag #JusticeForOwen is trending as Zimbabweans rally behind the student.
MSU STUDENTS
Solidarity
Fellow students are contributing as little as $5 each to fund his legal appeal and buy food/medicine for his asthma condition in prison.
JACOB NGARIVHUME
Political Support
The opposition leader visited Owen at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, pledging support and highlighting the "tremendous effort" of the students.
Appeal in Progress
The family is urgently preparing a High Court appeal expected to be heard within days. They need financial assistance for legal fees.
CONTACT FAMILY
Direct Support
Gamu Muteeri (Sister): +263 77 948 0742
Mercy Muteeri: +263 78 535 9566
LEGAL TEAM
Margaret Gezera
Lawyer: +263 77 262 9642
"Owen completed his degree despite the trauma... losing the most productive years of his life for a crime they maintain he did not commit."
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