Habitual thief rearrested

Police have rearrested a habitual car thief on allegations of breaking into a parked vehicle in Bulawayo and stealing a cellphone, just a few days after he was released from prison.

The latest incident follows an outcry over an increase in criminal activities by either habitual criminals released from prisons or those released on bail pending appeal.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the suspect saying he had been released from Khami Prison on February 9, after being arrested on similar charges.

"Police confirm the arrest of a recently released prisoner on February 22, 2021 at about 0120 hours, for theft from a car at Nketa, Bulawayo. The suspect aged 28 allegedly opened the door of a parked Toyota Hilux vehicle, stole a Huawei cellphone from the dashboard before he was noticed and pursued," he said.

The suspect is still assisting police with investigations. Apart from the ordinary crimes being perpetrated by criminals, there are a number of armed robberies being committed by suspected armed robbers that would have been released from remand on bail pending appeal.

Last week, one of the armed robbers arrested following a shootout with police on Friday night after robbing a Harare businessman of US$10 000, had just been released from jail on bail pending appeal.

Blessing Bheura (29) was one of the six armed robbers, including a serving ZRP member, who violently resisted arrest when police pounced after they had robbed a businessman. Police were forced to return fire.

Four of the armed robbers were killed while Bheura and Tichaona Kariwa (33) of Domboshava were arrested. Those that were killed are Constable Kudzai Kanjera (41) of ZRP Hatfield, Admire Nhetekwa (26), Brian Chibaya (37) and Tatenda Chari (35).

Police had received a tip-off that the robbers were planning to pounce on the businessman, and ambushed the robbers.

Bheura was involved in the armed robbery, barely three days after being granted bail for another armed robbery in Murehwa which was committed while using a pistol, which had allegedly been stolen from a Waterfalls, Harare, home. This was not the first time that criminals released on bail have committed crimes before being rearrested.
 
Recently, 12 suspected armed robbers including two ex-policemen, who were released on bail at the High Court last year, were on police's most wanted list for committing a spate of robberies in and around Harare and skipping bail.

A manhunt for the 12 and other wanted suspects, has since been launched although some are believed to have skipped the country. They were once arrested, but disappeared after being granted bail by the courts, resulting in warrants of arrest being issued against them for violating the report conditions of bail or not turning up on their remand dates.

Those that were being hunted down include Alouis Nyamadzawo, Decide Rice, Godfrey Josi, Elijah Temai Vumbunu, Leonard Huni, Fanuel Chikadaya, Peter Mushipe, Conwell Kasambarare (28), Musafare Mupamhanga, Spicer Takawira and the two ex-cops Watson Magodhi (37) and Ayanda Gumbo (28).

Most of the suspects had previous criminal records.

Head of Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) Mr Thabani Mpofu recently said they were concerned about the release on bail of dangerous criminals, sometimes before their initial trial and sometimes after conviction and jail sentences while their cases went on appeal.