Zimbo Woman in Robberies Targeting Ireland’s Elderly
Precious Moyo (38) used her former employment as a caregiver to exploit the trust of her victims.
Zimbo Woman in Robberies Targeting Ireland's Elderly
A Zimbabwean nurse aide has been jailed and sentenced to eight years for orchestrating violent burglaries targeting the elderly in Ireland.
Precious Moyo (38) used her former employment as a caregiver to exploit the trust of her victims, aged between 73 and 89, committing a string of crimes in Athlone between June and September 2023.
Moyo, who resided at the Athlone Accommodation Centre in County Westmeath, admitted to burglary and aggravated burglary charges.
Her accomplice, 20-year-old Yamen Alhamada, a Syrian war refugee, was sentenced to six years for his involvement.
Judge Keenan Johnson described the crimes as “nasty,” adding that they had destroyed the victims’ sense of security, forcing some to abandon independent living.
The court heard harrowing evidence of how the pair traumatised their victims. Witnesses detailed incidents where Moyo and Alhamada gained access to homes under false pretences, often using disguises.
Zimbo Woman in Robberies Targeting Ireland's Elderly
In one case, the duo broke into the home of an 80-year-old man with mobility issues, violently assaulting him and stealing €200 and cherished items belonging to his late wife.
“He was held by his arms by Yamen Alhamada, who pulled off his panic alarm from around his wrist. He was then pulled onto the ground and held down there,” Garda Detective Niall Cogavin testified.
Moyo’s actions were facilitated by her prior knowledge of her victims’ routines and vulnerabilities.
Prosecutors revealed that she had been dismissed from her caregiving job due to client complaints but used the information she had acquired during her employment to plan the burglaries.
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One of the earliest incidents involved a 73-year-old woman whose handbag containing €24,000 was stolen. The victim’s sister told the court:
“This money was to be used for our funerals. My sister’s heart and my own heart are now broken.”
