Maboleni Mukuru outlet robbers nabbed

Sydney Mubaiwa
MIDLANDS BUREAU CHIEF

GWERU-Three suspected armed robbers who allegedly robbed a Mukuru outlet in Lower Gweru last month have been arrested.
The trio, Tapiwa Zhazha (31), Courage Bongani Moyo (31), and Gift Ncube (24), were intercepted by alert police detectives who acted on a tip-off and arrested them.
Midlands Provincial Police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the arrest of the trio.
“Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of three armed robbery suspects in connection with a robbery of Mukuru Shop at Maboleni Business Centre in Lower Gweru.
Once again, police would like to applaud members of the public who supplied information that led to the arrest of the three suspects,” he said.
According to Mahoko, allegations are that three suspects confronted Michael Mpofu (23) of Maboleni on 28 March at around 10 am at his workplace manning Mukuru Shop.
One of the suspects pointed a pistol at Mpofu and demanded cash. The complainant complied and gave the three men all the money in the cash box.
After committing the offence, the suspects fled the scene in a getaway car, a Honda Fit.
Police reacted through a tip-off and arrested the three suspects leading to the recovery of a Star Becheverria Pistol, 9mm calibre, with five rounds of ammunition, R5 010, US$64, and a Samsung Galaxy M13 cell phone.
There is an increase in armed robberies in Zimbabwe as people now prefer storing value in US Dollars, often stocked away from formal banking institutions for fear of losing them.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, Zimbabwe recorded 1 120 armed robberies in 2021, compared with 931 in the previous year.
Police extended a gun amnesty last year to reduce robberies and rampant gun crimes in Zimbabwe.