Five suspected armed robbers arrested

Police have arrested five suspected armed robbers said to have been terrorising tobacco farmers.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the five were arrested during a police operation in the city centre following an increase in cases of armed robbery targeting tobacco farmers.

"On July 9, 2019, at around 0400 hours, a team of police officers posed as tobacco farmers who were transporting tobacco bales. They were suddenly accosted by the five accused persons, Cephas Maisiri, Kudakwashe Maisiri, Sean Meki, Simbarashe Chukutuva and Obey Mbofana, who were using three vehicles," he said.

The police, according to Nyathi, opened fire at the robbers who, in turn, shot back while at the same time offloading tobacco bales.

"In the process, Cephas Maisiri was immediately arrested at the scene, while the rest of the robbers sped-off in their vehicles. The four were later arrested while in Highfields and are to appear in court soon," Nyathi said.

"Police reiterates its warning to the public to avoid transporting their farming produce during the night. As the police, we would like to warn would be perpetrators of such acts that the long arm of the law will always catch up with them," the police said.

In an unrelated matter, at least five people died in a road accident along the Harare-Mutare Highway on Monday.

Nyathi said the accident occurred when the driver of the vehicle, which was heading towards Mutare, with 22 passengers on board, lost control of the car after an on-coming vehicle had encroached into its lane.

"The truck then veered off the road for about 50 metres and hit a tree. As a result, the five people who are believed to be family members, were killed," Nyathi said.

The police named the deceased as Proud Kore, Tashinga Kore, Abel Kore, Marvelous Sithole and Mejury Manyayi, all of farm 356, Chitomborwizi, in Chinhoyi.