HARARE
–
Police
have
arrested
nine
suspected
armed
robbers,
who
include
four
serving
soldiers
I
connection
with
a
spate
of
robberies
in
Harare,
Murehwa
and
Shamva.
The
group
comprises
Innocent
Chawaguta,
37,
listed
in
court
papers
as
accused
number
one,
Tafadzwa
Chirinda
Charute,
36,
Owen
Mbayi,
37,
Promise
Mussa,
36,
Tapiwa
Chigwaze,
39,
Winston
Matizanadzo,
46,
Kamuriwo
Mudziwaona,
39,
Farai
Chauke,
38,
and
Simbarashe
Vhazhure,
33.
Mbayi,
Mussa,
Chauke
and
Vhazhure
are
employed
by
the
Zimbabwe
National
Army
and
stationed
in
Harare.
Allegations
are
that
on
13
April
2024
at
around
8
in
the
evening,
the
complainant,
Miriam
Ratisai
(68)
was
sitting
in
her
kitchen
and
she
opened
the
kitchen
door
to
throw
out
some
rubbish.
Suddenly
six
unknown
black
male
adults
entered
into
the
house
and
one
of
them
armed
with
a
pistol.
They
used
some
shoe
laces
to
tie
Ratisai’s
son
Munashe
Ratisai
who
was
sitting
in
the
kitchen
at
the
time.
The
gang
allegedly
demanded
some
cash
before
proceeding
to
ransack
the
whole
house
and
stealing
approximately
US$650
which
was
in
the
piggy
bag.
The
suspects
also
stole
three
mobile
phones
(Samsung,
Iphone
11
and
a
Google
pixel)
and
a
Lenovo
laptop.
They
then
went
outside
the
house
where
they
searched
a
Toyota
Corolla
Bubble
but
stole
nothing.
The
gang
members
then
took
the
car
keys
with
them.
Munashe
Ratisai
later
managed
to
untie
himself
and
make
a
report
at
Highlands
police
station.
According
to
the
state,
total
value
stolen
is
US$2,350
and
nothing
was
recovered.
The
court
heard
that
on
14
April
2024,
Munashe
used
his
mobile
tracker
on
the
stolen
Ipad
and
tracked
to
house
number
22676
Unit
H,
Seke,
Chitungwiza.
Found
at
the
house
was
Melody
Mudzimurema,
33,
who
is
accused
1
(Chaguta)’s
girlfriend.
Detectives
conducted
a
search
in
the
house
leading
to
the
recovery
of
logic
iPad,
Lenovo
tablet
and
a
CZ
9mm
pistol
hidden
under
the
bed
in
a
black
satchel.
Upon
further
questioning,
Mudzimurema
said
the
property
belonged
to
accused
1
who
had
left
the
home
for
the
Harare
city
centre.
Detectives
waited
for
Chaguta
to
return
at
around
7PM,
and
arrested
him
immediately.
Chaguta
later
implicated
his
other
colleagues
who
are
listed
in
court
papers
as
accused
2,
3,
4,
5,
6
,
7
and
8.
Detectives
used
Chaguta
to
lure
accused
2
to
Chinhamo
Trek
Service
Station.
Accused
2
eventually
arrived
in
a
white
Honda
Fit
registration
number
AES
4368
in
the
company
of
one
Tinashe
NFPK
(alias
T1)
who
fled
from
the
scene
and
is
likely
to
have
been
shot
before
he
disappeared
in
the
bushes.
Accused
number
two
attempted
to
bolt
from
the
vehicle
and
he
was
shot
on
the
abdomen.
Their
arrest
led
to
the
recovery
of
nine
firearms
which
were
used
in
the
series
of
robberies
committed
in
the
three
areas.
National
police
spokesperson
Assistant
Commissioner
Paul
Nyathi
told
journalists
that
the
suspects
were
also
linked
to
an
armed
robbery
where
US$142,000
was
seized
in
Harare’s
Eastlea
suburb.
“The
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
confirms
the
arrest
of
nine
suspects
and
the
recovery
of
nine
firearms.
“These
suspects
have
been
involved
in
robbery
cases
in
Harare,
Murehwa
and
Shamva.
“One
of
the
cases
includes
the
one
which
occurred
at
J&P
security
offices
in
Eastlea
in
2022
where
over
US$142,000
was
stolen.
“The
suspects
are
clearing
five
armed
robbery
cases
initially
but
I
want
to
assure
Zimbabweans
that
as
investigations
continue,
more
cases
in
which
these
suspects
were
involved
are
going
to
be
revealed,”
he
said.
Responding
to
reports
that
some
of
the
suspects
are
military
officers,
Assistant
Commissioner
Nyathi
said
police
would
deal
with
all
armed
robbery
suspects
professionally.
“The
position
of
the
security
services
has
been
that
anyone
involved
in
criminal
acts
will
be
dealt
with
professionally,”
he
said.
The
suspects
appeared
before
Harare
magistrate
Taurai
Manuwere
who
did
not
ask
them
to
plead.
They
were
remanded
in
custody
to
May
2,
2024.
Anesu
Chirenje
appeared
for
the
State.