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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent

POLICE in Kwekwe have busted a syndicate of machete armed robbers that have been terrorising residents in Kwekwe.

Six members of the robbery syndicate were arrested after police were tipped off and their arrest has cleared a number of robbery cases committed in and around Kwekwe in the recent months.

The six nabbed suspects are Admire Jephias (31), Calvin Machado (20), Naison Shunje (30), Edmore Shoshera (33), Munashe Chigapa (19) and Nyasha Nyahuma (25), all from Mbizo 15.

They are believed to be part of a large cartel which also includes Edmore Mapande, Patrick Chigapa, Godwin Gwarazimba and Zivanai Chigapa who are still at large.

The six have since been arraigned before Kwekwe Magistrate, Ms Mildred Matuvi, facing two counts of robbery.

Magistrate Matuvi denied them bail citing that the accused have a known record of previous convictions and some of them were out on bail for a murder case.

The State, led by Miss Nyasha Hloka, has it that at a time extending from 12 June to July 3 this year, the accused persons would approach victims in Mbizo suburbs armed with machetes, sjamboks, catapults and logs robbing them of cash and valuables.

On the first count, committed on 12 June around 10PM, at Black Tuck-shop, the accused persons approached a man whose name was not given, who was driving a white Honda Fit.

“The accused persons manhandled the complainant and covered his face with a cloth before removing him from the driver’s seat and placed him on the back seat before one of them sped off,” the court heard.

The gang then forcibly took a mobile phone, US$30 cash, a 50-kilogram bag of chicken feed, and a blue memory stick before they dumped him in a bush and went away with the vehicle.

The vehicle was later recovered in Rutendo.

On another count, on July 3 around midnight, the gang allegedly struck an imbiber who was about to leave the night club and struck him with an empty bottle before forcibly taking a mobile phone and cash.

The following day, acting on a tip-off, police rounded up Calvin Machando, Naison Shunje and Munashe Chipaga who were parked at Mbizo 4 Shopping Centre and found in possession of machetes, sjamboks, catapults and logs.

The three implicated Admire Jephias, Edmore Shoshera and Nyasha Nyahuma who were picked up by police.

They also implicated the other five who are still at large.

The development comes barely days after police arrested a three-member gang for breaking into a house in Mbizo and killing one during a robbery.