A SENIOR police officer in charge of Bulawayo province’s
armoury has been arrested for allegedly stealing seven different types of guns
from the armoury in a case that has exposed illegal dealing in firearms by a
number of cops.
Manatsa Matibe (43) who is the officer in charge of the
Bulawayo provincial police armoury at ZRP Ross Camp was found in possession of
an 9mm FN browning pistol, 9mm Norinco pistol, Beretta pistol 6.35mm, Webley
and Scott pistols 6.35mm, Unique pistol 6.35mm and a BSA Krico rifle .22.
The firearms, which are privately owned, were lodged at the
Bulawayo provincial armoury for safe keeping.
Matibe appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Ulukile
Mlea-Ndlovu facing charges of theft and defeating or obstructing the course of
justice.
He was remanded in custody to April 16 and advised to apply
for bail at the High Court. Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on March 23,
Matibe allegedly stole privately owned firearms from the Bulawayo provincial
armoury.
The weapons were lodged at the armoury for safekeeping. He
allegedly took the guns to Matabeleland North provincial police armoury.
The court heard that after learning of the arrest of his
three colleagues stationed at Matabeleland North provincial police armoury in
connection with the firearms, Matibe raised a false issue voucher to cover up
for the charges levelled against his accomplices.
His accomplices David Fugao, whose age was not given but is
the Officer-in-Charge of the Matabeleland North Provincial Armoury, Wonder
Tawanda Karamba (33), Francis Chaterera (39), who are both stationed at the
armoury have since appeared in court facing similar charges. They were remanded
in custody to April 6 for trial.
The three police officers were arrested two weeks ago after
they were found with 15 different types of guns, more than 180 live rounds of
ammunition and an assortment of weaponry, which was not accounted for by the
force.
In papers before the court, detectives from the homicide
section received information that there were suspicious movement of firearms at
the armoury.
The court heard that the detectives, through
investigations, found out that some members of the police were removing
firearms that are subject to a handover-takeover from the armoury to a backyard
room.
The discovery followed 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 that
it be opened and a search was conducted in the presence of Karamba and
Chaterera.
It was discovered that there were several firearms that had
been stored in the armoury that did not match those recorded in official
documents.
Some of the guns listed included 22 Birmingham Sport
Company rifle, 12 Bore Winchester shotgun, 22 Bruno rifle, 22 Mauser long
rifle, 303 Era rifle, 22 Kregskorte rifle, 22 Winchester rifle and 22 revolver.
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 suburb.
When the house was searched, the detectives found an
assortment of weapons and ammunition.
Some of the weapons found 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 interrogated the owner of the house,
Delighted Chingoyori who revealed that Karamba had left the firearms at her
house. Chronicle
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