One of the country’s most wanted suspected robber Cornwell Junior Kasambarare, who is believed to have masterminded a spate of armed robbery, including the famous Mashwede Holdings heist and housebreaking cases in Harare has been arrested.
Kasambarare, alleged to have been part of Musa Taj Abdul’s
criminal gang was released in 2021 on bail before he disappeared.
He was believed to have been part of a gang that was
targeting households and business premises including the famous Mashwede Holdings
heist which occurred in March 2020.
Sources close to the investigations said Kasambarare who has been operating from South Africa was arrested yesterday in the city. He is still in police custody and assisting with investigations.
Kasambarare’s alleged accomplice Spicer Takawira was
arrested in 2021 on charges of house breaking and theft sometime and has been
in custody since then.
However, police have been looking for Kasambarare, not just
as a suspect, but also because he had an outstanding warrant of arrest for
skipping bail and defaulting court.
Kasambarare, Takawira together with Leo Mandaza, Godwin
Kusikwenyu and another one only identified as Chamu, were also accused of seven
cases of house breaking and theft in Harare.
Takawira, Musafare Mupanhanga and Kasambarare are also
alleged to be part of the gang that raided Mashwede Holdings in 2020 and got
away with over US$100 000, R42 000, $14 000 worth of fuel coupons, firearms and
20 live rounds of ammunition.
With Mandaza and Takawira in custody, police have been
appealing for information that may lead to the arrest of Kasambarare.
In March 2020, Mashwede Holdings lost the cash to five
workers and nine suspected robbers. The five workers, Mupanhanga and
Kasambarare, were then arrested and appeared in court.
Among the five workers were two brothers related to the
business owner, while two were security guards. The two suspected robbers were
remanded in custody and told only the High Court could grant bail.
This was not the first time that Mashwede Holdings was hit
by armed robbers.
Recently, police were also hunting down four robbers who
were involved in the second Mashwede attack, raiding a Mashwede Holdings food
court and two other premises in Southlea Park, Harare, and got away with a Mitsubishi
double cab and more than US$5 000.
The vehicle, which was parked at the premises for
safekeeping was later found dumped in Nyatsime area of Chitungwiza. Nearby was
the safe containing the cash which had been robbed at Mashwede Holdings.
Police said the robbers, who were armed with a pistol and a
rifle, attacked two security guards whose hands they tied with shoelaces.
The gang then went to Virtue Service Station where they
used a hammer to break a metal screen to gain entry into the premises.
They then ransacked a butchery and took away US$290 which
was in one of the drawers inside an office before proceeding to a mini market
at the premises where they stole electrical appliances.
The gang went to Chicken Mash owned by Mashwede Holdings
and forcibly broke the aluminium doors with a hammer before attempting to break
a safe which was containing cash, but failed.
They loaded the safe onto the Mitsubishi truck which they
later dumped. Herald
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