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Tendai Rupapa Harare Bureau—
SIX police officers allegedly connived with four civilians and mounted a fake roadblock in Belvedere, Harare where they waylaid and robbed an Indian businessman of more than $56 000. They allegedly used the money to buy expensive vehicles. Three members of the gang have since been arrested and the vehicles which they had bought with the proceeds were recovered.

The vehicles included a Mercedes Benz, Toyota Altezza and a Mazda Familia. They bought the vehicles on the same day on July 27. It is the State’s case that the gang had inside information that Mr Junaid Pervaiz was transporting money from his shop to his house in Belvedere.

Dickson Morosi (32), Kundai Makwarimba (35) and Fortune Sibanda (29) yesterday appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe charged with theft. They were remanded in custody to today for bail application.

Their alleged accomplices are still at large. Makwarimba and Sibanda are police officers stationed at Harare Central and Police Protection Unit Escorts, Morris Depot respectively while Morosi’s brother, who is still at large, is also a policeman.

The three are being represented by Mr Tawanda Takaendesa of Mugiya and Macharaga legal practitioners. According to the State, Morosi led to the recovery of a Mazda Familia and $500 cash while Makwarimba had the Altezza he had bought impounded.

Sibanda led the police to the recovery of a Mercedes Benz. The State will seek to prove that on July 26 at around 3PM, the trio and their seven accomplices hatched a plan to rob Mr Pervaiz who operates a tissue manufacturing company along Seke Road, Harare.

Prosecuting, Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that the gang got inside information that Mr Pervaiz was carrying a large sum of money from his business premises to his house.

Acting in connivance and in pursuance to their plan, the gang, the court heard, drove in two motor vehicles — a silver Toyota Spacio and a Honda Fit both without registration number plates and waylaid the businessman along Hudson Road, Belvedere.

They had mounted a fake police roadblock with two of them wearing police uniforms and traffic reflective sleeves. As the complainant approached the “roadblock” while driving in his Toyota Runx, he was flagged down by the gang and he complied, the State alleged. The court further heard that they forcibly pulled out his car keys from the ignition and searched his motor vehicle.

They found a black satchel which was on the back passenger seat and demanded to know its contents. One of the accused persons then opened the satchel and discovered the cash amounting to $56,800.

They suddenly grabbed the bag and jumped into their getaway cars and drove off leaving the complainant at the scene. They also went with his car keys and Mr Pervaiz reported the matter at ZRP Milton Park.