BY Richard Muponde
FOUR police officers have been arrested on charges of robbing a Harare man of US$12 000 at gun- point.
The complainant, Albert Mubaiwa was allegedly robbed at his Waterfalls home after the four police and two civilian accomplices, who are still at large, pounced on him on January 23 under the pretext that he was under arrest for illegal possession of Command Agriculture fertiliser.
Constables Milton Murairwa, Chinoda Chinoda, Tichafara Gundani, Dennis Ngirandi all of ZRP Mbare and their accomplices reportedly drove to Mubaiwa’s home using a Mercedes Benz with Botswana registration plates and an unregistered Toyota Wish.
After the robbery, Mubaiwa reported the matter at Waterfalls Police Station under RRB 4288780.
A leaked internal police memo said the six jumped over the precast wall into the complainant’s yard and found Tatenda Magodo and Tafadzwa Mutandwa, who rushed to the main bedroom and locked the door and they called Mubaiwa who rushed home.
“On his arrival, he was approached by the accused persons at the gate. One of the civilians who is only known as Mabhanang’ana drew a CZ pistol at Mubaiwa and informed him that he was going to shoot him if he does something suspicious,” reads the memo.
“Mabhanang’ana introduced himself as a Central Intelligence Organisation member and the other civilian as a military intelligence department member. The four cops were also introduced as CIOs, but all did not produce their identification cards.”
The memo said the six then accused Mubaiwa of illegally possessing a large quantity of Command Agriculture fertiliser.
“He (Mubaiwa) advised them that he had all the relevant papers for the consignment, but they forced him to open the door to where the fertiliser was stored. When they saw the fertiliser they told him that they were not going to consider his papers, but should pay them US$30 000,” the memo read.
“He (Mubaiwa) handed over US$4 500 which was in his (glove compartment) and also phoned his friend, Edmore Chipuriro who gave him US$8 000 and he handed over US$7 500 to Mabhanang’ana and they went away, leaving Mubaiwa and Chipuriro at his vehicle.”
The six drove off in their two getaway vehicles.
Mubaiwa conducted his private investigations and found out that the Mercedes Benz used as a getaway car belonged to Murairwa.
He reportedly later met Mabhanang’ana who told him that he would gather his team and refund him, but only refunded US$50.
Four of the suspects were arrested on Wednesday, but Mabhanang’na and his other co-accused are still at large.
