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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

POLICE have arrested an eight-man gang of robbers, three of them brothers, in connection with a spate of robberies reported in Bubi district, Matabeleland North since last December.

Armed with machetes and bolt cutters, the gang allegedly operated at night and robbed people of groceries, electrical gadgets, clothes as well as money.

The armed robbers made off with RTGS$10 388, US$338, R2 800, 200 Chinese Yuan in cash as well as clothes, stationery, electrical gadgets and groceries. 

Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said the Tshuma brothers; Ndodana (35), Milos (37) and Nkosana (29) as well as Baleni Nyoni (32), Lizwe Nyoni (47), Busani Ncube (27), Bukhosi Ngwenya (31) and Handsome Ndlovu (27) were arrested in connection with the reported cases following a tip-off.

“We have arrested eight suspects in connection with some robberies that took place in and around Inyathi since December last year. As police we were worried that all reported cases were committed using the same modus operandi and the arrest of the eight has cleared nine cases so far,” said Chief Insp Makonese.

She said the suspects were found with some of the stolen property and money.

 “On April 5, the complainant Thembi Mpofu, who operates Prince Enterprises Shop closed the shop as she retired to bed. At around 2AM while she was sleeping in a bedroom which is within the shop premises, she was awakened by the noise of a door being struck with an unknown object,” said Chief Insp Makonese.

She said after breaking the door, the suspects threatened to kill Ms Mpofu if she made noise.

In the bedroom they robbed her of groceries, clothes, electrical gadgets, RTGS$5, R3 200, US$20 and 200 Chinese Yuan in cash before demanding keys to her shop.

They allegedly took the keys and opened the shop.

Ms Mpofu lost groceries valued at RTGS$2 000 and cash amounting to US$80, R400 and RTGS$519 to the robbers that was in the shop.

The gang was arrested after police received a tip-off that Baleni had been seen carrying a bag suspected to be containing stolen goods.

Police raided his place of residence and arrested him and the accomplices.

—@ncubeleon