MUTARE- Police in Manicaland have intensified their manhunt for a four to
five-member gang linked to a spate of armed robberies along the Mutare-Harare
highway.
The suspects who pounce on unsuspecting passengers have since used a
different vehicle but with the same modus operandi in robbing their prey over
the past two months.
Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Nobert Muzondo said they were
currently investigating and looking for a four-member gang comprising three
men and one woman posing as travelers along the Mutare-Harare highway.
“As police, we are looking for three male suspects and one female using a silver
vehicle believed to be a Toyota Noah of unknown registration number, to rob
travelers along the Mutare- Harare Highway. In that same vein we are also
discouraging members of the public to board mushikashikas or pirate taxis, but
to use public service vehicles when they travel,” he said.
The investigation comes against the backdrop of four unsuspecting travelers
having been robbed by the gang last week.
According to police, on June 20, at around 3pm, Austin Mubaiwa (26), Nancy
Ngirande (32), Peter Mahaka (53) and Sean Zengeya (19) boarded the suspect’s
vehicle from Marondera to Rusape.
As they approached Torish Farm turnoff in Rusape the four passengers were
notified they had boarded a criminal’s vehicle as the four suspects produced
knives and ordered the passengers to surrender their valuables.
The passengers were further ordered to undress before they were blindfolded
and had their hands tied.
The driver drove towards Musoja Farm in Rusape, where the four passengers
were dumped.
Mubaiwa, Ngirande, Mahaka and Zengeya surrendered six cellphones, clothing
and cash amounting to US$338.
The total value of goods lost to the robbers amounted to US$1370.
The robbing of the four comes against a background of three other unsuspecting
passengers who were robbed by a five- member gang comprising four men and
a woman in April this year.
The three were robbed in three separate incidents on the same day as they all
boarded a silver Honda CRV headed for Harare.
The three unsuspecting passengers were also ordered to surrender their
valuables as they approached Rusape, before
