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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
POLICE in Gweru have arrested three notorious armed robbers who have been terrorising miners and business people in Gweru and Shurugwi getting away with more than $20 000 in four weeks.

Following the arrest, police recovered five rifles and a pistol, $6 000 cash and a VW Golf vehicle.

The property was recovered at lodgings belonging to two of the armed robbers’ girlfriends in Ascot Infill suburb in Gweru.

Tapiwa Chimuti (25) Anyway Madala (27) and Simbarashe Machiritsa (40) were arrested on Thursday following a tip off from members of the public.

Midlands provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende could neither confirm nor deny the arrest of the robbers.

She referred the Chronicle to the national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba who was said to be out of office attending the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.

However, sources close to the matter said the three suspects who allegedly committed the robberies in Gweru and Shurugwi, are facing five counts of armed robbery.

In one of the counts and on April 7 at around 7:30PM, Chimuti, Madala and Machiritsa broke down a kitchen door and entered a house in Athlone suburb where they stole electrical gadgets and cash.

Using the same modus operandi the gang broke into three other houses in Gweru and a mine in Shurugwi and got away with a VW Golf vehicle and more than $20 000 cash.

There was drama at Ascot infill suburb yesterday as police detectives raided two lodgings where Chimuti and Madala were staying.

The detectives recovered household property which includes beds, television sets, electrical gadgets and blankets which are suspected to be proceeds from robbery money.

At one house belonging to Ms Inet Kaisa (24) police are said to have also recovered a pistol.

Ms Kaisa said she has been staying with Chimuti for the past seven days as husband and wife.

At the other house, Ms Jenita Mahachi (25) said she has been staying with Madala for the past month.

They both told the Chronicle that they were not aware that their husbands were criminals.

“Chimuti said he was a gold panner. I moved here last week and we had a party. He bought all this property for me as his new wife. I didn’t suspect that he was a criminal,” she said.

One of the complainants, Mr Symptoms Siwawa (40) of Windsor Park in Gweru — a chrome miner and transporter thanked the police for arresting the robbers.

“They pounced at my place on Tuesday around 8PM, they pointed guns at my family members and my children are still traumatised. They went away with $495 cash and they wanted me to drive them to Kwekwe but my vehicle ran out of petrol. I escaped as they went to rob another house and reported the matter to the police. They were targeting business people and miners,” he said.

— @pchitumba1