News / National
Senior cop arrested for armed robbery
29 Jan 2012 at 03:19hrs | Views
A senior police officer in Harare have been arrested on allegations of armed robbery and stealing cash and fertiliser valued at over US$15 000.
Assistant Inspector Themba Phiri, who is also young brother to police spokesperson, Superintendent Andrew Phiri, was arrested last week on allegations of forcibly taking cash amounting to US$7 100 and 100 bags of fertilisers from a group of farmers in Domboshava. According to an internal memorandum in possession of The Sunday Mail the case was reported under CR 152/01/12.
Allegations against Inspector Phiri, who is district community relations liaison officer for Harare Suburban District, and an alleged accomplice, Sergeant Makufa of Borrowdale Police, are that the two went to Chinamhora-Mverechena where they are alleged to have confronted a certain co-ordinator of a group of farmers in the area. It is alleged the farmers had received loan facilities from the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe
to purchase fertilisers from GMB Aspindale.
The farmers are alleged to have illegally diverted the fertiliser for resale on the parallel market at Chinamhora Business Centre.
"The accused persons managed to arrest the two above-mentioned complainants (Admire Hahiya and Esborm Mandaza) and eight others bringing to 10 the total number of complainants. During the arrest, it is
alleged that Mafuka threatened to shoot the complainants should they resist any instructions to follow (sic)," states the police document.
"The accused persons then extorted cash amounting to US$7 100 before taking away 100 bags of fertiliser to an unknown destination using Mafuka's vehicle."
The fertiliser is valued at US$8 700.
Inspector Phiri was arrested after he went to Chinamhora Police Station on January 20 upon hearing that his accomplice had been arrested.
Assistant Inspector Themba Phiri, who is also young brother to police spokesperson, Superintendent Andrew Phiri, was arrested last week on allegations of forcibly taking cash amounting to US$7 100 and 100 bags of fertilisers from a group of farmers in Domboshava. According to an internal memorandum in possession of The Sunday Mail the case was reported under CR 152/01/12.
Allegations against Inspector Phiri, who is district community relations liaison officer for Harare Suburban District, and an alleged accomplice, Sergeant Makufa of Borrowdale Police, are that the two went to Chinamhora-Mverechena where they are alleged to have confronted a certain co-ordinator of a group of farmers in the area. It is alleged the farmers had received loan facilities from the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe
to purchase fertilisers from GMB Aspindale.
The farmers are alleged to have illegally diverted the fertiliser for resale on the parallel market at Chinamhora Business Centre.
"The accused persons managed to arrest the two above-mentioned complainants (Admire Hahiya and Esborm Mandaza) and eight others bringing to 10 the total number of complainants. During the arrest, it is
alleged that Mafuka threatened to shoot the complainants should they resist any instructions to follow (sic)," states the police document.
"The accused persons then extorted cash amounting to US$7 100 before taking away 100 bags of fertiliser to an unknown destination using Mafuka's vehicle."
The fertiliser is valued at US$8 700.
Inspector Phiri was arrested after he went to Chinamhora Police Station on January 20 upon hearing that his accomplice had been arrested.
Source - SM
