HARARE
–
A
gang
of
suspected
armed
robbers
who
were
behind
the
widely
publicised
J
and
P
Security
robbery,
among
other
movie-style
thefts,
are
now
behind
bars
after
they
implicated
each
other
one
after
another.
The
suspects
are
army
Corporals
Owen
Mbayi,
37,
Simbarashe
Vhazhure,
33,
as
well
as
Sergeants
Promise
Mussa,
36
and
Farai
Chauke
aged
38.
Also
part
of
the
gang
are
Thembinkosi
Matutu,
47,
Batsirai
Hutsi,
21,
Innocent
Chawaguta,
37,
Tafadzwa
Chirinda
Charute,
36,
Tapiwa
Chigwaze,
39,
Winston
Matizanadzo,
46,
and
Kamuriwo
Mudziwaona,
aged
39.
Those
who
died
in
a
shootout
with
police
are
Wonder
Amidu,
who
was
aged
53,
Tinashe
Takudzwa
Tricias
Munjerenjere
and
Norest
Prosper
Mutambudzi.
The
three
ran
out
of
luck
earlier
this
year
when
detectives
managed
to
track
a
stolen
mobile
phone
which
they
found
in
the
possession
of
Melody
Mudzimurema,
who
is
Chawaguta’s
girlfriend.
This
led
to
Matare’s
arrest
as
the
suspects
started
implicating
each
other
during
police
investigations.
According
to
a
recent
police
memo,
the
police
also
recovered
a
variety
of
firearms
which
include
a
303
Rifle
serial
number
6449
stolen
from
Exor
service
in
Shamva,
Star
pistol
serial
number
14191
a
6.35
Benardelli
VT
pistol
serial
number
70727,
Strybok
pistol
serial
number
ZA218739
stolen,
Unique
pistol
serial
number
646695,
Walther
pistol
with
erased
serial
numbers,
Star
pistol
serial
number
20601
all
stolen
from
stolen
from
J
and
P
security
in
Harare.
Also
recovered
were
12
bore
Pardus
shotgun
serial
numbers
69H22PT00008
stolen
from
number
798
Acacia
Road,
Windsor
Park
and
a
22
RG11
revolver
serial
number
8031
stolen
from
Maropafadzo
Service
Station
in
Murehwa.
The
first
group
of
suspects
appeared
in
court
in
April
and
were
remanded
in
custody
awaiting
trial.
On
April
6,
police
lured
Charute’s
wife
Tariro
Kasusu
to
their
station.
During
interviews,
she
stated
that
her
husband’s
real
name
is
Reuben
Mutamiri,
born
on
22
November
1989.
“They
conducted
a
search
at
Charute’
s
house
and
recovered
an
Astra
Cadix
revolver
serial
number
R271565
from
his
house.
Detectives
also
recovered
a
laptop
and
7
cell
phones
suspected
to
have
been
stolen
at
some
robbery
scenes,”
the
court
heard.
On
21
April
2024,
detectives
from
CID
Homicide
Harare
received
information
suggesting
that
Manhobo
was
involved
in
a
spate
of
armed
robberies
and
intended
to
meet
his
gang
at
Charge
office
bus
terminus
en
route
to
their
target.
Detectives
reacted
to
the
information
and
arrested
him
aboard
a
commuter
omnibus.
On
15
May
2024,
detectives
received
a
tip-off
suggesting
that
accused
Munjerenjere
who
is
now
late,
who
was
outstanding
on
these
cases
was
spotted
at
his
4th
wife,
Bridget
Mamvura
aged
17
years,
homestead
in
Murisa
Village,
Chief
Seke.
Detectives
reacted
to
the
information
and
found
him
in
his
two
roomed
cottage
with
his
wife.
The
police
introduced
themselves
and
ordered
everyone
to
surrender.
Instead,
the
now
deceased
suspect
who
was
in
the
bedroom
closed
the
door
and
climbed
over
the
wardrobe.
“At
that
juncture,
he
got
out
of
the
room
through
the
roof
after
forcing
open
the
roofing
sheets
and
went
atop
of
the
roof
whilst
holding
a
pistol.
“Detectives
who
were
outside
fired
warning
shots
ordering
him
to
get
down
and
surrender
but
he
did
not
comply.
“Instead,
the
accused
person
jumped
onto
one
of
the
detectives
who
were
standing
on
the
ground.
At
that
juncture,
shots
were
fired
towards
him
and
he
sustained
some
gunshot
wounds
on
the
lower
limbs
and
he
fell
to
the
ground.
A
blank
pistol
was
recovered
from
him,”
reads
the
police
memo.
It
was
discovered
that
the
suspect
was
already
nursing
a
gunshot
wound
on
his
right
lower
leg.
He
was
interviewed
and
stated
he
sustained
the
injury
during
the
shootout
with
detectives
at
Trek
Chinhamo
along
Seke
road
where
he
managed
to
escape.
He
further
implicated
all
his
accomplices
including
others
still
outstanding.
Searches
were
conducted
from
his
house
and
2
x
explosives
fuses,
and
2
x
dynamites
were
recovered.
Munjerenjere
was
rushed
to
Parirenyatwa
Hospital
for
treatment
where
he
was
pronounced
dead
upon
admission.
Matutu
who
was
arrested
on
July
14
2024
implicated
all
the
accomplices
and
one
Prosper
Mutambudzi
who
is
now
dead.
He
lured
Mutambudzi
to
Epworth.
Detectives
approached
him
and
he
immediately
withdrew
a
firearm
from
his
waist
and
started
firing
some
shots
towards
them.
The
detectives
retaliated
and
managed
to
subdue
him
after
he
jumped
over
a
security
wall
into
Domboramwari
Primary
School.
“The
accused
person
had
in
his
possession
a
9mm
blank
pistol
loaded
with
3
x
9mm
live
blank
cartridges,
one
of
which
was
in
the
chamber
was
subsequently
recovered.
Detectives
recovered
2
x
9mm
blank
spent
cartridges
at
the
scene.”
Mutambudzi
had
sustained
some
gunshot
wounds
on
the
lower
abdomen.
He
was
rushed
to
Parirenyatwa
Hospital
for
medical
attention
where
he
was
pronounced
dead
upon
arrival.
Matutu,
who
was
in
police
custody
also
lured
Hutsi.
Detectives
laid
an
ambush
and
Hutsi
tried
to
run
away
before
he
was
shot
on
the
lower
limbs
and
subsequently
arrested.
He
was
searched
and
had
a
magazine
loaded
with
8
x
9mm
live
cartridges
in
his
trousers’
pocket.
The
suspects
have
other
cases
which
are
currently
being
investigated.