Five Men Nabbed for Beitbridge Robbery Spree

Zim Now Writer

Five men accused of robbing motorists at a detour in Beitbridge have been arrested, bringing an end to a months-long crime spree.

The suspects Bornman Ziweni (37), Believe Shumba (40), David Ratsauka (31), Peter Chinhimbiti (25), and Delight Gwanyanya (33) are now facing charges for eight robbery cases in Beitbridge, as well as two similar incidents in Mwenezi.

According to Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Criminal Investigations Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri, the arrests follow a series of robberies committed between April and July 2025. The gang reportedly targeted slow-moving vehicles along the Beitbridge–Gwanda Road, particularly at a detour, where they would leap onto vehicles, cut hydraulic and fuel pipes, and force drivers to stop before robbing them of their valuables.

Police say the breakthrough came on August 6, 2025, when information linking Ziweni to the crimes led CID detectives in Beitbridge to his arrest. His capture paved the way for the swift apprehension of his accomplices.

Investigations revealed several incidents connected to the group. On May 10, 2025, at around 10pm, they allegedly robbed a complainant driving a Scania truck that had slowed down at the detour. Nine days later, on May 19, the gang is said to have barricaded the road at Mazunga detour, forcing a truck driver to stop before robbing him of US$700, R2,000, and a cellphone.

The suspects also targeted taxi drivers. On June 15, 2025, pretending to be ordinary passengers, they allegedly hired a taxi before robbing the driver of his vehicle and US$450. The car was later recovered along the Beitbridge–Masvingo Road. In a similar incident on June 17, the gang reportedly robbed another taxi driver of his vehicle and R6,000, later abandoning the car in Dulibadzimu.

The five men appeared in the Beitbridge Magistrates Court on August 8, 2025, where they were remanded in custody to August 13.

Det-Insp Muteweri urged anyone who may have fallen victim to similar crimes in the Beitbridge area to come forward and help identify recovered property linked to the case.