A Zimbabwean woman, Precious Moyo, 38, has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment in Ireland for her part in a shocking crime spree targeting vulnerable elderly pensioners.
Moyo, a former care worker, and her accomplice, Syrian engineering student Yamen Alhamada, systematically robbed six victims, aged between 73 and 89, stealing approximately US$36,000 (€32,000). Tragically, one victim passed away three months after the pair pleaded guilty to the charges.
The meticulously planned robberies unfolded between June 14th and September 8th last year, with four incidents occurring in Athlone housing estates and one approximately five kilometres outside the town.
Moyo, who had worked for a home help agency for a year, gained intimate knowledge of her victims’ households, exploiting their trust and serious health conditions to facilitate the crimes. The court heard how Moyo, often disguised with a wig, surgical gloves, and a face mask, would target her former clients, while Alhamada acted as her accomplice.
One particularly harrowing incident involved an 89-year-old woman suffering from advanced dementia. Alhamada, posing as a policeman searching for a missing person, gained entry to her home and stole her handbag containing over €200 and bank cards. The victim’s son, representing her in court, delivered a powerful impact statement highlighting the devastating impact of this betrayal, compounding an earlier theft by another carer. He described the added vulnerability and insecurity this breach of trust created for his already frail mother.
Another incident saw Moyo hanging around the home of a 73-year-old woman for two hours before sneaking in and stealing a handbag containing €24,000. She then swiftly escaped in a taxi. CCTV footage, crucial to the police investigation, captured Moyo flaunting wads of cash in a local shop, further incriminating her. Fingerprint and DNA analysis also played a significant role in securing convictions.
During the sentencing, Judge Keenan Johnson described the offences as “heartbreaking and callous,” emphasizing the profound breach of trust and the lasting trauma inflicted upon the victims. He noted that some victims no longer live independently, while others remain in “constant fear.” He also stressed the importance of not letting this case tarnish the reputation of law-abiding immigrants who contribute positively to Irish society.
Moyo, a mother of three who moved to Ireland five years ago, attributed her actions to a combination of factors, including isolation from family, a violent marriage she escaped, depression, and drug addiction. She claimed that her father’s death at age 13 significantly impacted her life, and she also alleged abuse from older men in her community. Alhamada, meanwhile, cited cannabis and alcohol abuse, leading to a €12,000 drug debt and immense pressure to repay it. He confessed that he “never thought of the victims of these offences when he was committing them.”
Alhamada’s involvement was partly driven by Moyo’s claims of possessing powerful “juju,” a form of black magic, which she asserted would protect them from arrest and prosecution. Alhamada himself told police he participated because he believed in Moyo’s juju and the protection it offered.
The defence argued for a reduced sentence, citing the early guilty pleas, which avoided a lengthy trial involving approximately 100 witnesses and further trauma for the elderly victims. They highlighted the defendants’ remorse and the prospect of rehabilitation. Despite this, Moyo received an eight-year sentence, while Alhamada was sentenced to six years. Neither defendant addressed the court or showed any emotion during the proceedings.
