Police officers raid businessman’s home, get away with US$3 000 and 5 000 Indian rupees

Two serving members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and their two unemployed accomplices appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court on Saturday facing armed robbery charges.

The suspects, Walter Chanhuhwa (41) of ZRP Highfield, Emmanuel Dzingwe (30) of ZRP Epworth, Egypt Musundire (30) and Tongai Chikumba (30) appeared before magistrate Stanford Mambanje, who remanded them in custody and advised them to approach the High Court for bail.

The suspects were being represented by Emmanuel Samundombe.

Allegations are that on February 26 this year at around 2:30pm, the accused persons, in the company of their two accomplices who are still at large, hatched a plan to rob one Vijay Balan.

Driving a Toyota Grand white in colour with no registration numbers, the accused proceeded to Balan’s residence, with Musundire armed with a pistol, while other suspects were armed with iron bars.

Upon arrival at the gate, they hooted for attention and Muthusamy Raju went to the gate to investigate.

Raju allegedly discovered that there were all black male adults and enquired on their mission.

It is alleged that there was no response from the accused persons and suddenly Musundire, Chikumba and the two other suspects forced open the small gate to gain entry into the yard.

They manhandled Raju and frog-marched him to the house, eventually confronting Syed Yaseen who was repairing a truck on the premises.

The accused then handcuffed the complainants, ordering them to lie on the floor in one of the rooms used as an office.

They searched the complainants and took away their cellphones.

The suspects then commandeered Balan to his bedroom and demanded money.

Balan indicated that he had no money, but the accused persons threatened to shoot him.

Out of fear, the complainant then showed them a box which had US$3 000 and 5 000 Indian rupees.

Two other complainants namely Chandrasekhar Mudupu and Sathish Bokka came driving a silver Toyota Mark X vehicle intending to check on the progress made by Yaseen, who is their mechanic.

They found the accused’s getaway motor vehicle parked at the gate and one Dzingwe was behind the steering wheel. Dzingwe reversed from the gate allowing Mudupu to drive in.

Immediately upon entry into the yard, Chanhuhwa confronted Mudupu and Bokka, searched them and took away their cellphones.

The accused persons then removed the CCTV DVR, before leaving the scene.

A report was made at ZRP Kopje.

The accused persons made indications, which led to the recovery of four stolen cellphone pouches in a maize field near Kuwadzana traffic circle, along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway.

-NewsDay