News / National
Zimbabwe police decimate notorious armed robbery gang
21 Jul 2024 at 13:32hrs | Views
A gang of suspected armed robbers who were behind the widely publicised J and P Security robbery, among other movie-style thefts, are now behind bars after they implicated each other one after another.
The suspects are army Corporals Owen Mbayi, 37, Simbarashe Vhazhure, 33, as well as Sergeants Promise Mussa, 36 and Farai Chauke aged 38.
Also part of the gang are Thembinkosi Matutu, 47, Batsirai Hutsi, 21, Innocent Chawaguta, 37, Tafadzwa Chirinda Charute, 36, Tapiwa Chigwaze, 39, Winston Matizanadzo, 46, and Kamuriwo Mudziwaona, aged 39.
Those who died in a shootout with police are Wonder Amidu, who was aged 53, Tinashe Takudzwa Tricias Munjerenjere and Norest Prosper Mutambudzi.
The three ran out of luck earlier this year when detectives managed to track a stolen mobile phone which they found in the possession of Melody Mudzimurema, who is Chawaguta's girlfriend.
This led to Matare's arrest as the suspects started implicating each other during police investigations.
According to a recent police memo, the police also recovered a variety of firearms which include a 303 Rifle serial number 6449 stolen from Exor service in Shamva, Star pistol serial number 14191 a 6.35 Benardelli VT pistol serial number 70727, Strybok pistol serial number ZA218739 stolen, Unique pistol serial number 646695, Walther pistol with erased serial numbers, Star pistol serial number 20601 all stolen from stolen from J and P security in Harare.
Also recovered were 12 bore Pardus shotgun serial numbers 69H22PT00008 stolen from number 798 Acacia Road, Windsor Park and a 22 RG11 revolver serial number 8031 stolen from Maropafadzo Service Station in Murehwa.
The first group of suspects appeared in court in April and were remanded in custody awaiting trial.
On April 6, police lured Charute's wife Tariro Kasusu to their station.
During interviews, she stated that her husband's real name is Reuben Mutamiri, born on 22 November 1989.
"They conducted a search at Charute' s house and recovered an Astra Cadix revolver serial number R271565 from his house. Detectives also recovered a laptop and 7 cell phones suspected to have been stolen at some robbery scenes," the court heard.
On 21 April 2024, detectives from CID Homicide Harare received information suggesting that Manhobo was involved in a spate of armed robberies and intended to meet his gang at Charge office bus terminus en route to their target.
Detectives reacted to the information and arrested him aboard a commuter omnibus.
On 15 May 2024, detectives received a tip-off suggesting that accused Munjerenjere who is now late, who was outstanding on these cases was spotted at his 4th wife, Bridget Mamvura aged 17 years, homestead in Murisa Village, Chief Seke.
Detectives reacted to the information and found him in his two roomed cottage with his wife.
The police introduced themselves and ordered everyone to surrender.
Instead, the now deceased suspect who was in the bedroom closed the door and climbed over the wardrobe.
"At that juncture, he got out of the room through the roof after forcing open the roofing sheets and went atop of the roof whilst holding a pistol.
"Detectives who were outside fired warning shots ordering him to get down and surrender but he did not comply.
"Instead, the accused person jumped onto one of the detectives who were standing on the ground. At that juncture, shots were fired towards him and he sustained some gunshot wounds on the lower limbs and he fell to the ground. A blank pistol was recovered from him," reads the police memo.
It was discovered that the suspect was already nursing a gunshot wound on his right lower leg.
He was interviewed and stated he sustained the injury during the shootout with detectives at Trek Chinhamo along Seke road where he managed to escape.
He further implicated all his accomplices including others still outstanding.
Searches were conducted from his house and 2 x explosives fuses, and 2 x dynamites were recovered.
Munjerenjere was rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital for treatment where he was pronounced dead upon admission.
Matutu who was arrested on July 14 2024 implicated all the accomplices and one Prosper Mutambudzi who is now dead.
He lured Mutambudzi to Epworth.
Detectives approached him and he immediately withdrew a firearm from his waist and started firing some shots towards them.
The detectives retaliated and managed to subdue him after he jumped over a security wall into Domboramwari Primary School.
"The accused person had in his possession a 9mm blank pistol loaded with 3 x 9mm live blank cartridges, one of which was in the chamber was subsequently recovered. Detectives recovered 2 x 9mm blank spent cartridges at the scene."
Mutambudzi had sustained some gunshot wounds on the lower abdomen.
He was rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital for medical attention where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Matutu, who was in police custody also lured Hutsi.
Detectives laid an ambush and Hutsi tried to run away before he was shot on the lower limbs and subsequently arrested.
He was searched and had a magazine loaded with 8 x 9mm live cartridges in his trousers' pocket.
The suspects have other cases which are currently being investigated.
The suspects are army Corporals Owen Mbayi, 37, Simbarashe Vhazhure, 33, as well as Sergeants Promise Mussa, 36 and Farai Chauke aged 38.
Also part of the gang are Thembinkosi Matutu, 47, Batsirai Hutsi, 21, Innocent Chawaguta, 37, Tafadzwa Chirinda Charute, 36, Tapiwa Chigwaze, 39, Winston Matizanadzo, 46, and Kamuriwo Mudziwaona, aged 39.
Those who died in a shootout with police are Wonder Amidu, who was aged 53, Tinashe Takudzwa Tricias Munjerenjere and Norest Prosper Mutambudzi.
The three ran out of luck earlier this year when detectives managed to track a stolen mobile phone which they found in the possession of Melody Mudzimurema, who is Chawaguta's girlfriend.
This led to Matare's arrest as the suspects started implicating each other during police investigations.
According to a recent police memo, the police also recovered a variety of firearms which include a 303 Rifle serial number 6449 stolen from Exor service in Shamva, Star pistol serial number 14191 a 6.35 Benardelli VT pistol serial number 70727, Strybok pistol serial number ZA218739 stolen, Unique pistol serial number 646695, Walther pistol with erased serial numbers, Star pistol serial number 20601 all stolen from stolen from J and P security in Harare.
Also recovered were 12 bore Pardus shotgun serial numbers 69H22PT00008 stolen from number 798 Acacia Road, Windsor Park and a 22 RG11 revolver serial number 8031 stolen from Maropafadzo Service Station in Murehwa.
The first group of suspects appeared in court in April and were remanded in custody awaiting trial.
On April 6, police lured Charute's wife Tariro Kasusu to their station.
During interviews, she stated that her husband's real name is Reuben Mutamiri, born on 22 November 1989.
"They conducted a search at Charute' s house and recovered an Astra Cadix revolver serial number R271565 from his house. Detectives also recovered a laptop and 7 cell phones suspected to have been stolen at some robbery scenes," the court heard.
On 21 April 2024, detectives from CID Homicide Harare received information suggesting that Manhobo was involved in a spate of armed robberies and intended to meet his gang at Charge office bus terminus en route to their target.
Detectives reacted to the information and arrested him aboard a commuter omnibus.
On 15 May 2024, detectives received a tip-off suggesting that accused Munjerenjere who is now late, who was outstanding on these cases was spotted at his 4th wife, Bridget Mamvura aged 17 years, homestead in Murisa Village, Chief Seke.
Detectives reacted to the information and found him in his two roomed cottage with his wife.
The police introduced themselves and ordered everyone to surrender.
Instead, the now deceased suspect who was in the bedroom closed the door and climbed over the wardrobe.
"At that juncture, he got out of the room through the roof after forcing open the roofing sheets and went atop of the roof whilst holding a pistol.
"Detectives who were outside fired warning shots ordering him to get down and surrender but he did not comply.
"Instead, the accused person jumped onto one of the detectives who were standing on the ground. At that juncture, shots were fired towards him and he sustained some gunshot wounds on the lower limbs and he fell to the ground. A blank pistol was recovered from him," reads the police memo.
It was discovered that the suspect was already nursing a gunshot wound on his right lower leg.
He was interviewed and stated he sustained the injury during the shootout with detectives at Trek Chinhamo along Seke road where he managed to escape.
He further implicated all his accomplices including others still outstanding.
Searches were conducted from his house and 2 x explosives fuses, and 2 x dynamites were recovered.
Munjerenjere was rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital for treatment where he was pronounced dead upon admission.
Matutu who was arrested on July 14 2024 implicated all the accomplices and one Prosper Mutambudzi who is now dead.
He lured Mutambudzi to Epworth.
Detectives approached him and he immediately withdrew a firearm from his waist and started firing some shots towards them.
The detectives retaliated and managed to subdue him after he jumped over a security wall into Domboramwari Primary School.
"The accused person had in his possession a 9mm blank pistol loaded with 3 x 9mm live blank cartridges, one of which was in the chamber was subsequently recovered. Detectives recovered 2 x 9mm blank spent cartridges at the scene."
Mutambudzi had sustained some gunshot wounds on the lower abdomen.
He was rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital for medical attention where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Matutu, who was in police custody also lured Hutsi.
Detectives laid an ambush and Hutsi tried to run away before he was shot on the lower limbs and subsequently arrested.
He was searched and had a magazine loaded with 8 x 9mm live cartridges in his trousers' pocket.
The suspects have other cases which are currently being investigated.
Source - zimlive
