The robbers attacked
security guards before ransacking the offices and stealing the cash.
One of the incidents occurred at company premises along
Seke Road while the other one at a wholesale in Chitungwiza where over US$10
000 was stolen.
Along Seke Road, the robbers stole US$56 377 and R71 000.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi confirmed the incidents.
Police in Harare are appealing for information which may
assist in the investigation of a case of robbery which occurred at a company
along Seke Road, Hatfield on April 14, 2024.
“Six unknown suspects who were armed with a pistol attacked
a security guard who was on duty at the company premises before gaining entry
into the offices where they disabled all security systems. The suspects
ransacked the offices before stealing US$56 377 and R71 000 cash, a laptop and
Samsung tablet,” he said.
In another case of robbery which occurred on April 17, 2024
at a wholesale at Tilco Industry in Chitungwiza, six unknown suspects attacked
two security guards who were on duty at the shop before stealing US$10 507
which was in a safe.
The suspects blasted the safe open using dynamites. The
latest incidents come after police have also recovered a tenth firearm
belonging to the nine suspected robbers who were arrested on allegations of
committing a spree of armed robberies, which include the J and P Security
US$145 000 heist in 2022, as investigations continue.
On Tuesday, Innocent Chawaguta (37), Tafadzwa Chirinda
Chaute (36), Owen Mbayi (37), Promise Mussa (36), Tapiwa Chigwaze (39), Winston
Matizanadzo (46), Kamuriwo Mudziwaona (39) and Farai Chauke (38) appeared
before Harare regional magistrate Taurai Manuwere charged with five counts of
armed robbery.
They were told only the High Court could grant them bail
before being remanded to May 2 pending finalisation of investigations.
When they were arrested, police had initially recovered
nine firearms which were being used by the gang to commit the crimes. They also
recovered various electrical gadgets and solar panels.
The recovered guns have since been taken to CID Ballistics
for examination and further investigations.
It is alleged that on May 16, 2022 just after midnight, the
gang scaled a pre-cast wall and entered the premises at 17 Walterhill, Eastlea
Harare — the offices of J and P Security.
They were seen on CCTV by Hardlife Matare and Nyasha Severa
who were manning the control room and when Mr Matare walked out to check what
was happening, he was confronted by the gang that was armed with pistols and
rifles.
The gang manhandled the two together with other members of
staff who were present. They tied their hands and legs and locked them in a
toilet.
The gang grabbed the keys to the strong room and stole cash
that had been collected from various clients amounting to US$142 995 and six
firearms. Only US$4 900 was recovered.
On the second charge, it is alleged that on February 25
this year at around 1am, the gang robbed security guard Denford Chizanga who
was guarding 798 Acacia Street, Windsor Park in Ruwa.
The suspects armed with a revolver and pistols attacked Mr
Chizanga who was armed with a shotgun. They tied him up using cable ties, and
robbed him of a cellphone and US$3 cash. They took away his shotgun and tried
to blast open the cash safe, but failed.
They later stole three laptops and other property valued at
US$4 952.The value of the recovered property is US$1 500.
On another count, Assulani Jackson was doing his routine
work at a service station when the gang arrived and fired shots into the air to
scare him.
The court heard the gang then grabbed and assaulted him.
They took his cellphone and bound his face with red and
white tape.
They dragged him into a kiosk at the service station and
forced him to lie down on his stomach while one gangster questioned him about
the location of the safe. He denied knowledge of where money was kept and the
gang then took a Chubb safe which was in the kiosk, it contained US$12.
They also took a .303 rifle and left Mr Jackson lying in
the kiosk. Property valued US$400 was recovered.
On another charge, the State alleged that on March 27 2024
at about 6pm, Mr Liberty Tsingano and Mr Elton Kadembetembe started the night
shift at a service station in Harare.
The following day at about 2am, the gang turned up in two
vehicles, a silver Nissan AD van and a white Mitsubishi whose registration
numbers are unknown.
They acted as if they wanted to buy fuel and parked their
two vehicles near the pumps where they indicated that they needed fuel worth
US$10 for the Mitsubishi Colt vehicle.
Attendant Mr Kadembetembe filled the car with petrol worth
US$10 and then demanded payment.
One of the accused who was armed with an unidentified
pistol jumped out, causing Mr Kadembetembe to panic and run away without
getting payment for the fuel.
Mr Tsingano, who was about 30 metres away, drew his
revolver and fired a warning shot.
Suddenly all the gang members jumped out of the two
vehicles armed with two AK rifles and six unidentified pistols.
They charged towards Mr Tsingano and seized his revolver.
The suspects tied him up with a rope and force marched him
into a separate room where they left him under guard.
The accused broke the screen and door to the office where a
safe was secured and gained entry, the court heard. While inside, they used
explosives to blast the safe which partially opened.
They tried to take money from the safe but the notes could
not be easily pulled out since they were rolled into bunches.
The suspects were arrested after a robbery at a residence
in The Grange, where they stole US$650, laptops and cellphones on April 13 this
year. Police tracked a stolen iPad to the home of one of the gang members,
leading to the arrest of Innocent Chawaguta.
He implicated eight other suspects who were arrested
through a series of lures and shoot-outs.
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