MAN FAKES US$36K ROBBERY TO EVADE DEBT

Police have arrested three suspected armed robbers who were part of a four-man gang that robbed a man in Lupane of US$200 and a cellphone while armed with machetes and logs while a Bulawayo man has been jailed six-months for lying to police that he had been robbed of over US$36 600 to evade paying a debt.

In Lupane, the three were arrested after the victim identified one of the robbers and alerted the police while the Bulawayo man staged an armed robbery alleging that he had lost US$36 612 to criminals.

Investigations on the cases are still in progress.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: “On June 25, 2021, police in Lupane arrested three men in connection with a robbery case which occurred at Ndwawanga business centre, Inyathi, where four suspects who were armed with machetes and logs attacked the complainant and stole US$200, Itel phone and other valuables.

“The complainant later identified one of the suspects and alerted the police leading to the arrest of the three suspects.  

“Police have since launched a manhunt on the remaining suspect.” Meanwhile, police have warned members of the public against making false reports to the police.

This comes after police have arrested a 34-year-old Harare man for stage-managing an armed robbery alleging that he had been robbed of US$36 612 before making a report at Bulawayo Central Police Station on June 23.

“Police investigations later established that the suspect made a false report to evade paying a debt. Meanwhile the suspect has since appeared before Bulawayo Tredgold Magistrate court and was convicted to six months’ imprisonment with an option to pay a fine of $10 000,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

Early this month, several people lost cash after being robbed while going home during the evening.

A 42-year-old Harare woman was robbed and raped recently when she accepted a lift outside the Simon Vengai Muzenda bus terminus.

The driver, who already had four men aboard, offered her a lift to Domboshava at 9.45pm and she assumed it was an ordinary mushikashika.

She was robbed of a bag with 15 bath towels, 15 ladies’ panties, several flea market wares, US$45 and $300 and a Gtel cellphone.  The value of the stolen property is worth $11 640.

Another man lost a satchel, Samsung laptop, jersey and an Itel A32 cellphone in Westlea to two robbers who waylaid him after he disembarked from a commuter omnibus and was walking home alone.

The man was assaulted and fell down and sustained a cut on the left eye. A woman who was walking along Sherwood Drive in north-west Harare lost a cellphone and a handbag to a lone robber.

The robber had followed her after she alighted from a commuter omnibus at around 7.30pm.

A 40-year-old Ruwa man lost his Itel P32 cellphone, a Samsung Galaxy J1 cellphone and US$485 cash to a robber who attacked him while on his way home at around 7.30pm.

The man was hit once with a stone on the head. He fell down and lost consciousness. A 37-year-old man who was waiting for transport along Mutare Road in Ruwa lost an Itel P15 cellphone, Lenovo cellphone and black satchel to an armed robber who attacked him at around 9pm. Herald

 

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