Zimbabwean man arrested for falsely reporting robbery

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed the arrest of Khumbulani Sibanda (39), who was detained for filing a false robbery report in Mutoko. Sibanda had claimed that he was robbed of USD 287,000 in cash and an unregistered Toyota Allion motor vehicle in the Harare Central Business District on 11 December 2024, before being dumped by the alleged robbers in Mutoko.

However, after conducting investigations, police found that Sibanda's story was fabricated. The suspect had actually traveled to Mutoko using public transport, and further inquiries revealed that he had presented an identification card from a local bus company to confirm his travel.

Upon arriving in Mutoko, Sibanda contacted a local business owner, claiming he wanted to purchase a garage in Adbennie for USD 900,000. He later told the business owner that he had been robbed of the money, prompting the false police report.

Additional investigations uncovered that Sibanda had approached multiple businesspeople, private security companies, and property owners, claiming to possess large sums of money and intentions to buy both residential and business premises in Harare. To lend credibility to his claims, he initiated sales discussions with some property owners and even hired private security firms for cash-in-transit services.

Sibanda's true intention was to manipulate his victims into sympathy, exploiting their trust in order to secure financial gain. The ZRP has warned the public to remain vigilant when dealing with individuals who promise large transactions or property purchases and to verify the authenticity of such claims.

Authorities urge citizens to report any suspicious activities to the National Complaints Desk at (0242) 703631, via WhatsApp at 0712 800 197, or at their nearest police station.