News / National
Highway robbers arrested
18 Aug 2026 at 06:12hrs |
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Four suspected robbers who allegedly posed as public transport operators before robbing passengers and abandoning them have been arrested in Odzi, near Mutare.
The suspects, identified as George Nenhunzi (29), Fungai Muuduri (29), Wayne Ndiweni (23) and Vincent Chele (34), were arrested at about midday yesterday at Riverside, Odzi, on theft charges.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the arrests.
The suspects allegedly used a grey Honda Fit, registration number AFI 0191, to target unsuspecting commuters.
Chinyoka said at about 10am, John Makina (38), of West Valley, Nyazura, and Tapiwa Chiwanza (45), of Nyazura, boarded the vehicle at Mt Mainje bus stop, intending to travel to Christmas Pass.
However, upon reaching the Osborne turn-off, the suspects allegedly told the two passengers that the vehicle had developed a mechanical fault and could no longer proceed to Christmas Pass.
The two were instructed to disembark.
After leaving the vehicle, Makina and Chiwanza allegedly discovered that their mobile phones — a Samsung A04s and Samsung A03 — were missing.
Chiwanza reportedly hired a motorbike and pursued the vehicle. He caught up with the suspects at Riverside along the Mutare-Harare Highway after their vehicle broke down and demanded the return of the phones.
The suspects allegedly handed the phones back to him.
Suspecting that the four were involved in other criminal activities, Chiwanza alerted people at Riverside, who reportedly surrounded the vehicle.
He then contacted ZRP Odzi, prompting police officers to respond and arrest the four suspects.
Police recovered 11 suspected stolen cell phones, six balaclava masks and an empty pepper-spray container from the vehicle.
The suspects were taken to ZRP Odzi Police Station, where they are assisting police with investigations.
The case was recorded at ZRP Odzi and is expected to be transferred to CID Mutare for further investigations.
Police said the suspects are believed to be linked to several robbery cases reported in Manicaland.
The suspects, identified as George Nenhunzi (29), Fungai Muuduri (29), Wayne Ndiweni (23) and Vincent Chele (34), were arrested at about midday yesterday at Riverside, Odzi, on theft charges.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the arrests.
The suspects allegedly used a grey Honda Fit, registration number AFI 0191, to target unsuspecting commuters.
Chinyoka said at about 10am, John Makina (38), of West Valley, Nyazura, and Tapiwa Chiwanza (45), of Nyazura, boarded the vehicle at Mt Mainje bus stop, intending to travel to Christmas Pass.
However, upon reaching the Osborne turn-off, the suspects allegedly told the two passengers that the vehicle had developed a mechanical fault and could no longer proceed to Christmas Pass.
The two were instructed to disembark.
After leaving the vehicle, Makina and Chiwanza allegedly discovered that their mobile phones — a Samsung A04s and Samsung A03 — were missing.
Chiwanza reportedly hired a motorbike and pursued the vehicle. He caught up with the suspects at Riverside along the Mutare-Harare Highway after their vehicle broke down and demanded the return of the phones.
The suspects allegedly handed the phones back to him.
Suspecting that the four were involved in other criminal activities, Chiwanza alerted people at Riverside, who reportedly surrounded the vehicle.
He then contacted ZRP Odzi, prompting police officers to respond and arrest the four suspects.
Police recovered 11 suspected stolen cell phones, six balaclava masks and an empty pepper-spray container from the vehicle.
The suspects were taken to ZRP Odzi Police Station, where they are assisting police with investigations.
The case was recorded at ZRP Odzi and is expected to be transferred to CID Mutare for further investigations.
Police said the suspects are believed to be linked to several robbery cases reported in Manicaland.
Source - Manica Post
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