Bulawayo, (New Ziana)-Police in Bulawayo have arrested a suspected robber who was on the wanted list for a spate of robberies and a murder case in Hwange, Matabeleland North province, and surrounding areas, before fleeing to Zambia.
According to Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, the suspect, Leanmore Nyoni (24) of Mpumalanga, Hwange, was arrested while hiding at a house in Esigodweni, Cowdry Park, Bulawayo, following a tip-off from members of the public.
“Acting on the tip-off, police proceeded to the house where they successfully located and arrested the accused person. Upon questioning, the accused person revealed that he had committed a series of armed robberies at fuel stations in Hwange and Lupane in 2024 together with his accomplice Proud Gumbo of Cross Jotsholo-St Mary’s,” she said.
Msebele added that Nyoni, after interrogation, disclosed that he had recently returned from Zambia, where he had fled around August 24 last year, after his accomplice, Gumbo, was arrested.
“We would like to warn members of the public to desist from committing crime as the long arm of the law will finally catch up with them. We would like to applaud members of the public for working with the police to bring the suspects to book,” she said.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, three suspected armed robbers escaped with US$1 000 and ZAR 7 000 after attacking Blaze Petroleum along Siyephambili Drive, Kelvin West, Bulawayo at the weekend.
Msebele said on March 23 at around 2030 hours, three masked suspects armed with two unidentified rifles and a pistol emerged from a nearby maize field.
“One of the suspects fired one shot into the air, and the petrol attendants scrambled for cover. The fuel attendants tried to run away but were all apprehended. They were force-marched to the cash office where the suspects demanded money. The fuel attendants surrendered all the money in their possession, and the accused persons also took some money from an unlocked metal box,” she said.
The suspects then ordered the attendants to lie down before fleeing. Police attended the scene after a report was made. Msebele said investigations were in progress and urged petrol attendants to avoid keeping large sums of money on their premises.
“We have witnessed an upsurge of armed robberies at fuel service stations around the city. We urge petrol attendants not to keep large sums of money on themselves or on their premises but to deposit their money in safes or banks after work,” she said.
New Ziana
