According
to
a
police
memorandum
dated
11
July
2025,
the
suspects,
some
wearing
full
police
uniform
and
carrying
AK-47
rifles,
raided
the
MMC
Mining
Syndicate
at
Katope
River
on
the
night
of
9
July.
They
claimed
to
be
conducting
a
police
inquiry
when
they
arrived
at
the
site.
“On
09
July
2025,
at
around
2000
hours,
Chadamoyo
Rugwaja
saw
a
vehicle
approaching
the
mine
and
he
proceeded
to
the
vehicle
and
introduced
himself
as
a
security
Officer
whilst
demanding
to
know
the
occupants
of
the
Vehicle.
A
male
adult
dressed
in
a
complete
Police
uniform
disembarked
from
the
vehicle
and
told
Rugwaja
that
they
were
Police
Officers
who
were
on
an
inquiry
at
the
mine.
He,
however,
instructed
Rugwaja
to
summon
all
the
people
at
the
mine
to
gather
at
one
place
so
that
they
would
proceed
with
their
enquiries,”
the
police
memo
reads.
“Two
other
male
adults,
one
in
complete
Police
Uniform
and
the
other
in
civilian
attire,
both
holding
AK
rifles,
disembarked
from
the
vehicle
and
proceeded
where
we
were
gathered,
followed
by
four
other
male
adults
who
were
all
in
civilian
attire
but
not
armed.”
The
suspects
allegedly
demanded
cash
and
gold
from
Chimanga,
who
handed
over
US$5,000
and
15
grams
of
amalgamated
gold.
The
robbers
then
forcibly
took
the
two
complainants
to
a
waiting
Honda
Fit
vehicle,
loaded
approximately
50
kilograms
of
gold-laced
carbon
into
the
boot,
and
fled
the
scene.
As
the
robbery
unfolded,
a
female
mine
worker
escaped
and
alerted
the
mine
manager,
Bernard
Arikadara,
who
mobilised
other
workers
in
pursuit.
The
group
intercepted
one
of
the
getaway
vehicles,
prompting
three
of
the
suspects
to
flee
into
nearby
bushland.
Shortly
afterwards,
another
Honda
Fit
attempted
to
drive
through
the
blocked
road,
prompting
one
of
the
suspects
to
fire
at
least
seven
rounds,
blowing
out
two
tyres
on
the
pursuing
vehicle
and
forcing
the
group
to
scatter.
“The
accused
persons
pushed
the
Nissan
Caravan
off
the
road
and
drove
away
heading
towards
Mushumbi
Pools
where
they
then
dropped
complainants…
at
Masoka
turn-off,”
the
memo
continued.
A
police
reaction
team
from
Mushumbi
later
intercepted
the
suspects’
vehicle
along
the
Mushumbi-Kanyemba
road.
The
suspects
fled
on
foot,
abandoning
the
vehicle
with
its
keys
still
in
the
ignition.
Subsequent
investigations
led
to
the
arrest
of
several
suspects,
including
Tawanda
Chihwani,
a
serving
member
of
the
ZRP
Support
Unit.
He
is
accused
of
stealing
two
AK-47
rifles
and
other
police-issued
equipment
from
the
New
Parliament
Support
Unit
base
in
Harare,
where
he
was
stationed.
Chihwani
led
police
to
the
recovery
of
the
firearms,
uniforms,
a
magazine
with
nine
rounds,
and
other
equipment
hidden
in
a
bush
in
Nyamhara
Village,
Chief
Chitsungo
area.
Recovered
property
included
nine
stolen
mobile
phones,
sacks
of
gold
carbon,
a
full
ZRP
uniform
set,
74
EMEX
explosives,
and
various
identity
documents.
A
spent
cartridge
was
also
recovered
at
the
mine.
The
total
value
of
stolen
goods
was
placed
at
US$7,650,
with
items
worth
US$1,000
recovered.
The
.303
rifle
taken
from
the
site
remains
missing.
Two
vehicles
used
in
the
robbery,
both
Honda
Fits,
were
identified
and
seized.
One
was
extensively
damaged
by
mine
workers
and
was
found
abandoned
three
kilometres
from
the
scene.
Several
suspects
remain
at
large,
and
investigations
are
ongoing.
Police
say
efforts
to
recover
the
remaining
stolen
property
and
arrest
the
outstanding
individuals
are
continuing.