Man arrested for supplying gun used in US$2,7m heist

A man whose rifle was used in the US$2,7 million cash heist that occurred along the Harare-Chinhoyi Road, yesterday appeared in court on allegations of supplying the firearm to the gang that pretended it was involved in poaching and promised to return the gun with some meat.

Tawanda Chikeya of Granary Phase 3, Harare, appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Court charged with lending, offering or hiring a firearm to "any person other than a firearm dealer".

Police investigations have established that the round of ammunition fired on January 6 when the US$2,7 million cash heist happened belonged to Chikeya's rifle.

Chikeya, a registered firearm owner, was not asked to plead to the charges when he appeared before magistrate Mr Sheunesu Matova, who remanded him to February 25 on $15 000 bail.

It is alleged that on January 6 this year at around 7am, Chikeya gave the late Andrew Zigara (32) the 22 Hornet rifle with nine rounds of ammunition for poaching and in return was promised game meat.

Zigara returned the rifle to Chikeya on the day of the heist at around 3pm, but with only eight rounds of ammunition.

Prosecuting, Mr Moses Mapanga said Zigara failed to notify Chikeya within seven days how the other round of ammunition was used.

It later emerged when police were investigating the robbery of US$2,7 million along the Harare-Chinhoyi Road that the round fired on the day belonged to Chikeya's rifle.

Zigara was shot and killed by detectives from the homicide unit at Ndanga Business Centre in Zaka on January 14 after he tried to flee arrest.