Rogue cops kidnap business partners
THREE traffic police officers and an accomplice allegedly robbed and assaulted four business associates in Nyanga at the weekend, before kidnapping three of them and holding them hostage in a car boot.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident to Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) saying the rogue police officers later dumped their victims 16 kilometres from their homes.
“We confirm the arrest of three police officers together with some civilians in connection with a robbery case that happened in Nyanga where people lost cash amounting to US$1 245. The law will take its course and we will get to the bottom of the matter.”
According to police, Forget Madzitire of Budiriro teamed up with Harare-based Constables Tariro Rangarirai Madziwa, Listen Sibanda and Tatenda Ndlovu to commit the crime on Saturday night.
The four were allegedly intercepted by alert detectives in Rusape in their gateaway car on their way back to Harare.
“The complainant’s son Darlington Mawarira of Claremont Farm, made a police report at ZRP Nyanga and police detectives in Rusape intercepted suspect’s vehicle leading to their arrest. Upon search, US$648 and $160 in local notes, two pairs of handcuffs, one baton and a police identification card in the name of Constable Ndhlovu T were recovered,” the source said.
The complainants, Sylvester Makandwa, Sharon Netsai Chombe, Elton Mawarira and Misheck Chidza were injured during the robbery and were referred to Nyanga hospital for treatment.
According to a police internal memorandum, Makandwa, Mawarira and Chidza and one of the accused persons Madzitire, were in partnership in a timber business from the first week of March.
On March 23, the four proceeded to Harare with processed timber for sale. A after selling the timber three days later and sharing the proceeds, Makandwa, Mawarira and Chidza returned to their homes, leaving Madzitire in Harare.
At around midnight on Saturday, the accused persons drove to Nyanga using a silver ML Mercedes Benz registration number AEL 2403 and went to Makandwa and Chombe’s residences.
The suspects knocked on Chombe’s living room and she responded by opening a window. The accused persons asked for Chombe’s husband and she called him before she opened the door for the suspects.
Some of the suspects, excluding Madzitire, entered the house and demanded cash from Chombe’s husband whom they accused of having stolen money in Harare.
The complainant told them that the money they were demanding was deposited into Mawarira’s bank account and the suspects were given US$300.
They demanded more money from Makandwa who surrendered US$850.
They handcuffed Makandwa and dragged him to their vehicle which was parked about 200 metres from the house where the suspects forced the complainant into the boot.
The suspects ordered Makandwa to give them directions to Mawarira’s home. Makandwa noticed that Madzitire was driving the vehicle.
At Mawarira’s house, the suspects handcuffed him and demanded US$500 accusing him of having stolen money in Harare. The accused assaulted the complainant and ransacked the house where they found US$85 in a worksuit jacket.
Mawarira was force marched to the vehicle where he was ordered to get into the boot before the suspects drove to Chidza’s house where they got way with US$130.
Chidza was also ordered to get into the boot and the suspects drove to Gairezi tuckshops where they got US$100 from one tuckshop before grabbing another US$40 from Abel Mapupu’s tuckshop in the same area.
The suspects drove off with the three complainants for about 16 kilometres before dropping them off at Claremont bus stop. They sped towards Harare but were intercepted by detectives in Rusape.