Armed Robberies By Soldiers in Zimbabwe (2021)

Former minister Godfrey Gandawa said the robbers were using guns stolen from the state armoury back in the 2017 coup.^[1]

The Police said Zimbabwe was recording six robberies a day, with 876 cases recorded between January and May 2021. Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe admitted in Senate that members of the security services were involved in most of the robberies.^[2]

Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) commanders convened several meetings following indiscipline among soldiers, characterised by the involvement of junior officers in high profile criminal activities like armed robberies as well as theft of rations. ZNA spokesperson Alphios Makatore confirmed that the meetings were held but declined to divulge the details.^[3]

Hatfield Robbery

On 24 December 2021, Lameck Kabara from the Zimbabwe National Defence College and Christopher Charuma, who was with the Air Force of Zimbabwe based at Manyame airbase, and a civilian Perseverence Chihota murdered Elvis Chijaka during an armed robbery in Hatfield. The three got away with US$40,000.

Chijaka was shot dead after finding a robbery in progress following a call from his sister who was inside the house. Two men wearing balaclavas and firing from an AK47 rifle also wounded Brian Chijaka, who was treated at a Harare Hospital.

The robbers drove off in a white Mercedes Benz Compressor C200 after ransacking the house and stealing US$40,000.

Investigators recovered 25 spent cartridges from an AK47 rifle. They were arrested on 26 Decemeber 2021.^[4]

Surrey Farm Robbery

On 15 November 2021, two soldiers, members of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lance Corporal Dzimbanhete Tatenda and Trooper Munetsi Wilfred robbed Simon Arnold of Surrey Farm near Marondera cash amounting to US$16 830 and R600.

The two soldiers were jailed 40 years each after having been convicted of armed robbery by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Court Martial on 19 January 2022. They both pleaded guilty to the charges of armed robbery when they appeared before the Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Court Martial.

Five years of their respective sentences were suspended on condition that they restitute the complainant, Simon Arnold of Surrey Farm near Marondera cash amounting to US$16 830 and R600. Both were reduced ranks to private and first-year trooper respectively, and discharged from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces with ignominy.^[5]

Chadcombe Robbery

Virimai Nyandoro of Zimbabwe National Army 1 Commando regiment was one of two armed robbers that survived a shoot-out at the residence of ex-detective Joseph Nemaisa in Harare on 6 December 2021. Nyandoro and Francis Takura fled the scene before being arrested by the police. Takura was a former Zimbabwe Republic Police Constable. Francis Takura was discharged from the Police Support Unit in 2018.

On 10 December 2021, Nyandoro appeared before magistrate Tafadzwa Mhiti facing 12 other robbery cases. He was remanded in custody to 28 December pending finalization of investigations, becoming the second suspect to be arrested on the matter after Takura.

The complainants in the first three counts were James Rikonda of Hatfield, Learnmore Ushe and Tichaona Maworere.

On 5 November 2021, at around 3am, Rikonda who had retired to bed was awakened by four unknown persons armed with an AK47 rifle and an unidentified type of pistol.

They then demanded keys for his Toyota Hilux GD6 and forced him and his wife into the vehicle. They proceeded to the complainant’s workplace and stole US$10 000.

The criminals later went back to the complainants’ place of residence.

They stole a laptop, Xiaomi Note 7 cellphone with an Econet line and another complainant Maworere’s property comprising of one black Tablet, a blue Nokia cellphone, an Itel cellphone, a Black Samsung cellphone, an HP620 laptop black in colour, a grey HP laptop, a sports bag, 2x Nokia cellphones, six pairs shoes, an assortment of jewelry and necklaces and bracelets.

On 1 December, the criminals robbed Madonhi, Nunurai and Nadzo at their house. They stole cellphones, cash and various other goods while threatening to rape or kill the victims if they did not surrender more money. The robbers also committed armed robberies on separate occasions armed with an AK47. ^[6]

Rikonda’s stolen Norinco pistol was abandoned by the robbers at Nemaisa’s house during the robbery in Chadcombe. Maworere was also able to identify a pair of his stolen shoes that Takura was wearing when he was arrested. ^[7][8]

A soldier named Tariro Gora (21), of 1 Commando Barracks was one of the robbers who were shot dead by Joseph Nemaisa in Chadcombe. Among other things, the Police recovered an AK47 magazine loaded with 17×7.62 mm live rounds, 12x 7.62 mm spent cartridges and a Norinco Pistol with a magazine of six rounds at the scene of the crime. Police revealed that the Norinco pistol was stolen through robbery on 5 November 2021 at a house along Bishop Gaul Avenue in Harare.

Further investigations by the Police led to the recovery of a 22 rifle fitted with a telescopic sight, a 303 rifle, an AK 47 magazine loaded with 25 live rounds, 303 rifle magazine loaded with seven live rounds hidden in Tariro Gora’s room at One Commando Barracks.^[9]

Chitungwiza Fuel Service Station Robbery

On 24 June 2021, Arnold Matetepa who was a soldier with the Presidential Guard Infantry Ballation allegedly participated in a robbery of a Chitungwiza fuel service station. The soldier was shot and fled with a bullet lodged in his rib cage following a shootout with police detectives.

He had allegedly robbed the service station of cash, a firearm and other valuables. Matetepa was arrested as he sought medical treatment at a health centre in Harare and was brought to court on Saturday 17 July 2021 facing armed robbery charges.

Magistrate Judith Taruvinga remanded him to his hospital bed to August 3 2021.

On 24 June 2021, Matetepa and his four accomplices, robbed Velvet Service Station in Chitungwiza of valuables and US$2 500 cash after assaulting and disarming a security guard.

The same night, the accused and his gang, which included Tendai Mubatapasango, Lovemore Madondo, Jerry Bangu and Munyaradzi Hodzi, allegedly drove to Mutorashanga on another robbery mission but fell into a police trap on the way.

The suspects allegedly fired at the detectives and sped off after being flagged down, leading to a high-speed chase.

Cornered, the suspects abandoned their getaway car, and fled in different directions, with police firing randomly at them.

Hodzi was arrested after being shot in the leg as Matetepa fled with a bullet lodged in his rib cage.

He was later arrested after he and the other suspects still at large were implicated by Hodzi. Three of their accomplices were reported to be at large when Hodzi and Matetepa appeared separately in court.^[2]

Gateway High School Robbery

Zvidozvashe Dzuda a section officer in the ordinance directorate of the Zimbabwe National Army appeared in court on allegations of supplying ammunition to four Harare armed robbers. Dzuda was accused of participating in an armed robbery at Gateway High School where US$250,000 was stolen after a safe was blown up.

He was charged with several counts of armed robbery, theft and illegal supply of ammunition. Dzuda was arrested at Kuwadzana roundabout in Harare on 3 July 2021 before police also separately arrested Valentine Mutasa, Godfrey Josi, Juliet Gavaza and Peter Mushipe.

Two other suspects – Richard Mutanga and Benjamin Musasa – died after being shot by detectives.

According to court papers on one of the counts, Dzuda and his gang allegedly robbed one Tapera Foya and his wife of US$20,000 on March 10 2021.

On June 15 2021, he was allegedly part of a gang that robbed Chinese cannabis farmer Weng Dong of US$22,000 after an exchange of gunfire.

He was also accused of robbing a Waterfalls family of US$51,000 on October 7 last year after tying up a man and his wife.

It is alleged that all the ammunition used by the robbers was stolen by Dzuda from the Zimbabwe National Army.^[10]

Dzuda and his gang were also implicated in other robbery incidents which included US$60,000 stolen from Muzari suburb in Chinhoyi, and the June 29 robbery of a Beatrice farmer who was stalked and robbed of US$19,800 after selling his potatoes at a market in Harare.^[11]

Beitbridge Cigarettes Robbery

Corporal History Sibanda from the One Commando regiment and Constable Sheperd Gatsi a police officer from the support unit, were arrested in January 2021 for allegedly robbing a Beitbridge man of 30 boxes of export quality cigarettes worth R95 000. The robbery took place on 19 January 2021. The gang were also accused of robbing another man in Dulivhadzimu of R6 200.

The duo allegedly committed the offence in the company of another soldier and five civilians who at the time of Sibanda and Gatsi's arrest were reported to be still at large in the Dumba area.

The duo was part of a team deployed to the boundary with South Africa to curb crime that is costing the Government an estimated US$1 billion in uncollected import duty annually. The gang allegedly robbed Banaboy Mabvugwa of Elliot Mutavhatsindi homestead in Dumba while in uniform and armed with AK47 rifles.

Upon arrival at the complainant’s homestead, one of the soldiers broke the door of the room where Mabvugwa was sleeping.

The soldier entered the room flashing the victim with a torch and ordering him to remain still and not to make any noise to alert neighbours while the other ransacked the house and tied all the four occupants together with shoelaces.

After committing the offence, the gang went to Beitbridge town and hid the loot at an unfinished building at Shule Shule Business Centre in Kwalu 1 Suburb.

They then engaged one Isheunesu Chimwaro to look for buyers of the cigarettes, who in turn sold 20 boxes on the following day for R30 000 and the money was collected by one of their accomplices. Later that day, Sibanda in the company of one of his two co-accused went to Chimwaro and accused him of giving the loot money to the wrong person, robbed him of his R6 200 and went away. Sibanda allegedly kept nagging Chimwaro for another payment of R8 800 until his arrest by the police together with Gatsi and Mudau.^[12]

A civilian named Derek Mudau was arrested. Sibanda, Gatsi and Mudau were not asked to plead when they appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate Mr Toindepi Zhou who remanded them in custody to March 2 2021.^[13]

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