Businessman Esau Mupfumi loses US$52k to armed rob...

Businessman Esau Mupfumi loses US$52k to armed robbers

Philemon Jambaya

Mutare-based businessman, Esau Mupfumi, lost US$50 000 to armed robbers who raided his main garage in the eastern border city early this morning, Zim Now has learnt.

Armed robberies have been spiking in Zimbabwe, targeting victims who will be carrying or keeping money at their business and residential premises.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has been encouraging citizens to bank their money and avoid keeping huge sums of cash in homes or offices.

Mupfumi confirmed the incident to Zim Now.

“They came in the wee hours and raided our premises and went away with US$52 000, fortunately no-one was injured,” he said.

Police report cases of violent heists almost daily, with hundreds of thousands of dollars being stolen in the process.

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, Zimbabwe recorded 1 120 armed robberies in 2021, compared to 931 in the previous year.

In an address to mark Zimbabwe’s Unity Day celebrations on December 22 last year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said his government now treats violent crime as a grave threat to personal and national security.

“Lately, we have witnessed an upsurge in gun-related crimes. There is a clear upsurge in abuse of firearms, including violent armed robberies,” he said.

“The government now treats this as a grave threat to personal and national security. Decisive measures have now become necessary to put an end to this growing menace which threatens our otherwise peaceful, law-abiding nation and citizenry.”

In a bid to reduce robberies and rampant gun crime in Zimbabwe, Mnangagwa recently extended a gun amnesty which allowed Zimbabweans illegally in possession of rifles to surrender the lethal weapons with no questions asked.