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Beitbridge highway robbery gang arrested
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Police in Beitbridge have arrested four men in connection with a series of violent highway robberies that targeted motorists along a detour on the Beitbridge - Gwanda Road, bringing to an end months of terror that had unsettled transport operators and travellers alike.
The suspects, identified as Bornman Ziweni (37), Believe Shumba (40), David Ratsauka (31), Peter Chinhimbiti (25), and Delight Gwanyanya (33), were rounded up by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Beitbridge following a tip-off on August 6. According to CID national spokesperson Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri, the gang had been operating between April and July 2025, using calculated tactics to ambush and rob vehicles at a known detour point.
The group is now assisting police in clearing eight armed robbery cases committed in the Beitbridge area, as well as two similar incidents reported in Mwenezi. Det Insp Muteweri said the suspects would wait for vehicles to slow down at the detour before jumping onto them, cutting hydraulic pressure and fuel pipes, thereby forcing drivers to stop. Once the vehicle was immobilised, they would pounce on the driver and passengers, taking cash, mobile phones, and other valuables.
In one incident, recorded on May 10, the suspects targeted a Scania truck that had slowed down along the highway at around 10PM. They forced the driver to stop and robbed him before fleeing the scene. On another occasion, on May 19 at around 9PM, the gang allegedly barricaded the road near the Mazunga detour, stopping a truck and stealing US$700, 2,000 South African rand, and a cellphone from the driver.
The suspects also shifted tactics on June 15 by pretending to be ordinary travellers in need of transport. They hired a local taxi and, during the trip, robbed the driver of his vehicle and US$450 in cash. The stolen car was later recovered abandoned along the Beitbridge–Masvingo Road. Just two days later, on June 17, the gang reportedly pulled off a similar robbery, again targeting a taxi driver. This time, they made off with the vehicle and 6,000 rand, which police later found dumped in Dulibadzimu.
Detective Inspector Muteweri said the suspects were operating with ruthless efficiency, and their arrest was a significant development in curbing violent crime along key transport routes. She also encouraged members of the public who may have fallen victim to similar attacks or had property stolen in such circumstances to come forward and assist in identifying recovered items.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has applauded the swift work by its detectives and remains committed to bringing all perpetrators of violent crime to justice. The arrests bring a measure of relief to motorists using the Beitbridge–Gwanda highway, a vital economic and transport artery for the country.
The suspects, identified as Bornman Ziweni (37), Believe Shumba (40), David Ratsauka (31), Peter Chinhimbiti (25), and Delight Gwanyanya (33), were rounded up by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Beitbridge following a tip-off on August 6. According to CID national spokesperson Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri, the gang had been operating between April and July 2025, using calculated tactics to ambush and rob vehicles at a known detour point.
The group is now assisting police in clearing eight armed robbery cases committed in the Beitbridge area, as well as two similar incidents reported in Mwenezi. Det Insp Muteweri said the suspects would wait for vehicles to slow down at the detour before jumping onto them, cutting hydraulic pressure and fuel pipes, thereby forcing drivers to stop. Once the vehicle was immobilised, they would pounce on the driver and passengers, taking cash, mobile phones, and other valuables.
In one incident, recorded on May 10, the suspects targeted a Scania truck that had slowed down along the highway at around 10PM. They forced the driver to stop and robbed him before fleeing the scene. On another occasion, on May 19 at around 9PM, the gang allegedly barricaded the road near the Mazunga detour, stopping a truck and stealing US$700, 2,000 South African rand, and a cellphone from the driver.
The suspects also shifted tactics on June 15 by pretending to be ordinary travellers in need of transport. They hired a local taxi and, during the trip, robbed the driver of his vehicle and US$450 in cash. The stolen car was later recovered abandoned along the Beitbridge–Masvingo Road. Just two days later, on June 17, the gang reportedly pulled off a similar robbery, again targeting a taxi driver. This time, they made off with the vehicle and 6,000 rand, which police later found dumped in Dulibadzimu.
Detective Inspector Muteweri said the suspects were operating with ruthless efficiency, and their arrest was a significant development in curbing violent crime along key transport routes. She also encouraged members of the public who may have fallen victim to similar attacks or had property stolen in such circumstances to come forward and assist in identifying recovered items.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has applauded the swift work by its detectives and remains committed to bringing all perpetrators of violent crime to justice. The arrests bring a measure of relief to motorists using the Beitbridge–Gwanda highway, a vital economic and transport artery for the country.
Source - The Chronicle
