Cops nabbed for US$248k robbery:

TWO Harare-based police officers who late last year were part of a five-member armed gang that allegedly robbed a second-hand clothes dealer US$248 000 using service firearms have been arrested.

Crispen Kado (29) of ZRP Rhodesvile and Daniel Kademba (37) of ZRP Mabvuku appeared in court last week facing one count of armed robbery, while their three accomplices are still at large.

The robbery was reported at Mufusire Uphill in Headlands, a place notorious for theft from motor vehicle cases.

The duo who were self actors were not asked to plead when they appeared before Rusape magistrate, Ms Rufaro Mangwiro, who remanded them in custody to February 12 on routine remand.

State prosecutor, Mr Benoni Makuvire, said the firearm used in the robbery was issued to Kado for official use and Kademba was sold out by his fingerprints that were lifted from the complainant’s car.

“On October 22, 2020, the complainant, Tinei Oswell Mainato and another passenger were travelling from Harare to Mozambique in a Honda Fit vehicle. Mainato had US$248 664 cash intending to buy bales of secondhand clothes.

“On arrival at Mufusire Uphill in Headlands, the vehicle had a tyre puncture prompting them to slow down. A Toyota Wish came from behind with five occupants. The vehicle drove side-by-side with the Honda Fit and one of the robbers ordered Mainato to stop.

“Mainato did not comply and one of the suspects produced a pistol and fired one shot, forcing him to stop. Four of the suspects disembarked and approached Mainato and ordered him to surrender cash and cellphones,” said Mr Makuvire.

Mainato surrendered US$248 664, one ITEL cellphone and a Samsung J1.

The suspects fled leaving the complainant at the scene.

Investigations led to the recovery of the suspect’s firearm from ZRP Rhodesvile. The firearm was taken to CID Ballistics for examination.

The spent cartridge recovered at the crime scene matched the bullets which were given to Kado when he was using the pistol from October 16 to 23.

“Further investigations revealed that Kado and Kademba were jointly using the firearm. Kademba’s fingerprints matched those which were uplifted from the complainant’s vehicle at the scene of the robbery,” said Mr Makuvire.