THREE police officers, one of them a senior cop were
arrested on Friday when they were found with 15 different types of guns, more
than 180 live bullets and several other assortment of related armaments which
were not accounted for by the force.
David Fugao, whose age was not given but is an
Officer-in-Charge at the Matabeleland North Provincial Armoury (in Bulawayo),
Wonder Tawanda Karamba (33), Francis Chaterera (39), who are both stationed at
the armoury appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Jechonia Ncube, yesterday
facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as public officers. They were remanded
in custody to tomorrow for bail ruling.
According to the State as led by prosecutor, Mr Leonard
Tshile, on Friday detectives from the Homicide Department received information
that there were suspicious movements of firearms at the armoury. The court
heard that the detectives through investigations found out that some members of
the force were removing firearms that are subject to a handover-takeover from
the armoury to a backyard room.
This was discovered, following the arrest of Fugao, after
he was implicated by a suspected armed robber Ame Mpala, who was arrested with
an AK-47 rifle along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road. When detectives arrived at
the armoury they requested it be opened and a search was conducted in the
presence of Karamba and Chaterera.
It was discovered after the search that there were several
firearms that had been stored in the armoury that did not match any recorded on
official documents. Some of the guns listed included 22 Birmingham Sport
Company riffle, 12 Bore Winchester shotgun, 22 Bruno riffle, 22 Mauser long
riffle, 303 Era riffle, 22 Kregskorte riffle, 22 Winchester riffle and 22
revolver. They were also found with more than 185 different kinds of live
bullets. The court heard that was when it was established that the two had been
allegedly receiving firearms for repairs at the station workshop, which is not
consistent with their duties leading to their arrest. On the same day at around
7pm detectives received a tip-off informing them that there was a suspicious
package that had been stashed at a house in Thorngrove. Upon searching the
house they found an assortment of weapons and ammunition.
Some of the guns discovered at the house included a Noringo
pistol, Vsor Pistol, FN pistol, Special Renato gamba revolver, 22 Astra
revolver, 6,35mm Berreta pistol and 6,35mm automatic pistol.
The detectives are reported to have interrogated the owner
of the house Delighted Chingoyori who revealed that Karamba had left a parcel
containing the firearms at her house, stating that she had given him the keys
to the garage where the parcel was for safe keeping. Karamba is said to have
admitted to owning an assortment of artillery. Sunday Mail
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