Police use arrested car thief to catch accomplices

Harare police have arrested four men in connection with a stolen vehicle from South Africa, after one of them was caught relaxing in the car at a hotel in Waterfalls.

Geoffrey Chihuri was apprehended inside the unregistered white Nissan Magnite at the Yadah Hotel complex last week. Following his arrest, police used Chihuri to lure his accomplices - Vincent Luwizhi, Obvious Nkomo, and Blessed Kambeni - to the Harare Central Business District, where they were also taken into custody.

The four suspects appeared over the weekend before Harare regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa, but they were not asked to plead. Investigations revealed that the suspects received the stolen vehicle from unidentified South Africans they met between Rutenga and Beitbridge the day before their arrest. Interpol confirmed the car had been stolen in South Africa.

In a separate but related case, four suspected armed robbers have also been arrested in Harare. Wellington Jinya (20), Nyasha Mushure (24), Tatenda Maphosa (21), and Edmore Muchenje (24) face eight counts of vehicle theft.

ZRP Criminal Investigations Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri said the suspects, along with other accomplices still at large, would pose as genuine travellers to solicit lifts from unsuspecting motorists before robbing them of their vehicles and valuables.

"Their luck ran out on September 4, 2025, when detectives from CID Chinhoyi received information implicating Wellington Jinya in these crimes," Det-Insp Muteweri said. Follow-ups led to the arrest of Jinya and the recovery of an AK-47, a knife, various cellphones, a laptop, a Retay gun with ammunition, and other weapons.

The suspects revealed details of their modus operandi, including robbing a complainant of a Honda Fit on August 26, 2025, before abandoning it in Ruvimbo, Chinhoyi. All stolen vehicles in these cases have since been recovered.

Police are continuing investigations to apprehend other accomplices, including Tinotenda Devillious Chiremba, Lloyd Makiwa, Eddie alias Dhama, Jacob Maphosa, Huni, and Watson alias Mandebvu.