Detective freed in US$1,3m robbery case

THE State has withdrawn a case against a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) detail Kelvin Marimo who was being accused of participating in a US$1,3m robbery that took place at ABC Auction last year for lack of evidence.

Marimo (42), who was represented by Claude Bare, appeared before magistrate Stanford Mambanje who withdrew the charge yesterday.

In his initial appearance in court, the policeman appeared together with a member of the Zimbabwe National Army (Signals department) Osinenge Zvomuya (36). Zvomuya will, however, remain in custody to face the charges.

The complainant is Sagittarian Private, trading as ABC Auctions.

Allegations were that on October 8 last year at around 1am, Marimo, Zvomuya, Trymore Bondamakara (now deceased) and five others, who are still at large, connived to rob the complainant.

They went to ABC Auctions in Harare where they scaled the precast wall and overpowered security guards Langton Ziromba and Editor Meda and tied their hands and legs with shoelaces.

The robbers allegedly broke six office safes using grinders and explosives and stole US$1 014 000 cash and jewellery worth US$250 000.

On October 11, 2022, CID Homicide received information about the break-in which led to the arrest of Marimo and Zvomuya while Bondamakara was killed in a shootout.

Property worth US$14 239 was recovered. Marimo had also successfully challenged his remand on another case of robbery at Steward Bank where US$1 350 was stolen at gunpoint. His application was granted by the court.