News / National
$56,000 heist: One more arrested
08 Aug 2016 at 06:39hrs | Views
The driver of a car that went through a fake Belvedere roadblock to allay the suspicion of an Indian businessman robbed of $56 000 has now been arrested. The police special constabulary member stationed at Mbare is accused in the robbery where six policemen reportedly connived with five civilians.
Bekezela Masuku (44) allegedly used his vehicle, a Honda Fit, driving in front of Mr Junaid Pervaiz's car and was allegedly paid $1 000 for the job by the masterminds of the deal.
The court heard that his car was the first one to be stopped and "searched" before the gang robbed Mr Pervaiz who was following behind. Masuku led police to the recovery of a television set that he bought with proceeds of the crime.
His alleged accomplices, Dickson Morosi (32), Kundai Makwarimba (35) and Fortune Sibanda (29) have since appeared in court facing similar charges and were denied bail. Seven other suspects are on the run. Masuku appeared before Mr Tendai Mahwe charged with robbery. He was remanded in custody to August 18 after prosecutor Mr George Manokore opposed bail.
According to the State, the gang knew that Mr Pervaiz was transporting money from his shop to his house in Belvedere and hatched a plan to rob him. Makwarimba and Sibanda are stationed at Harare Central Police Station and Police Protection Unit Escorts at Morris Depot respectively, while Morosi's brother — who is still at large — is also a policeman.
Acting in connivance and in pursuance to their plan, the gang, the court heard, drove in a silver Toyota Spacio and a Honda Fit both without registration number plates and waylaid their victim along Hudson Road, Belvedere.
They had mounted a fake roadblock with two of them wearing police uniforms and traffic reflective sleeves. "As the complainant approached the "roadblock" while driving his Toyota Runx, he was flagged down by the gang and he complied.
The court further heard that they forcibly pulled out his car keys from the ignition and searched his vehicle. They found a black satchel that was at the back passenger's seat and demanded to know its contents.
One of the accused persons then opened the satchel and found cash amounting to $56 800. They suddenly grabbed the bag and jumped into their getaway cars and drove off at high speed.
Bekezela Masuku (44) allegedly used his vehicle, a Honda Fit, driving in front of Mr Junaid Pervaiz's car and was allegedly paid $1 000 for the job by the masterminds of the deal.
The court heard that his car was the first one to be stopped and "searched" before the gang robbed Mr Pervaiz who was following behind. Masuku led police to the recovery of a television set that he bought with proceeds of the crime.
His alleged accomplices, Dickson Morosi (32), Kundai Makwarimba (35) and Fortune Sibanda (29) have since appeared in court facing similar charges and were denied bail. Seven other suspects are on the run. Masuku appeared before Mr Tendai Mahwe charged with robbery. He was remanded in custody to August 18 after prosecutor Mr George Manokore opposed bail.
According to the State, the gang knew that Mr Pervaiz was transporting money from his shop to his house in Belvedere and hatched a plan to rob him. Makwarimba and Sibanda are stationed at Harare Central Police Station and Police Protection Unit Escorts at Morris Depot respectively, while Morosi's brother — who is still at large — is also a policeman.
They had mounted a fake roadblock with two of them wearing police uniforms and traffic reflective sleeves. "As the complainant approached the "roadblock" while driving his Toyota Runx, he was flagged down by the gang and he complied.
The court further heard that they forcibly pulled out his car keys from the ignition and searched his vehicle. They found a black satchel that was at the back passenger's seat and demanded to know its contents.
One of the accused persons then opened the satchel and found cash amounting to $56 800. They suddenly grabbed the bag and jumped into their getaway cars and drove off at high speed.
Source - the herald
