Police nab US$2,7m ZB robbery planner after two ye...

Police nab US$2,7m ZB robbery planner after two years

And remove four other undesirables off the streets

File image of suspects from the ZB cash in transit robbery outside court

After two years on the run Shadreck Njowa is in police custody.

Njowa is believed to be the brains of the ZB Bank US$2,7 million and $43 000 heist which occurred in January last year at Gwebi River Bridge along the Harare-Chirundu Road Detectives

Shadreck Njowa was arrested following a raid by a team of detectives at a house in Highfield where he was hiding.

Two other suspects in the same case, Patson Matengambiri and Nyasha Chitera are still at large.

The other 11 suspects have since been arrested and the matter is still pending before the courts.

The robbery of the US$2,7 million and $43 000 from a ZB Bank cash-in-transit vehicle was believed to have been an inside job where three security personnel in the vehicle allegedly connived with robbers.

The three security staff; Nomatter Jonga, 43, Mathew Simango, 66 and Fanuel Musakwa, 34; were arrested and have since appeared at the Harare Magistrates Courts.

It is alleged that on January 6, 2021 at around 11.30am, the three were tasked to carry seven boxes containing US$2 775 000.

This cash was to be ferried to ZB branches; Chinhoyi US$75 000, Kadoma US$25 000, Kwekwe and Gweru US$150 000 each, Bulawayo US$200 000, Gwanda US$50 000 and Zvishavane US$100 000.

They were travelling in a Toyota Hilux single cab with a canopy, secured with a tracker and emergency panic button. Initial allegations given in court were that the three hatched a plan to steal the money and connived with six others.

It is alleged that Jonga, Simango and Musakwa picked three unknown suspects at the Westgate roundabout in Harare and drove to the Inkomo tollgate where they collected a box containing $43 090, which was supposed to be deposited at the bank, and then picked up three more men at Inkomo Barracks turn-off as they drove towards Chinhoyi.

Jonga stopped the vehicle upon reaching the 60km peg and a fake robbery was staged.

It is further alleged that an Isuzu twin-cab immediately arrived at the scene with people who were armed with pistols.

Jonga, Simango and Musakwa surrendered their pistol and rifle before driving their Toyota Hilux for about 900 metres where the gang offloaded the cash boxes into the Isuzu which then drove off.

Police have also arrested two other suspects in violent crimes in Kuwadzana after a tip off.

Dexter Mugaro, 28, and Point Nzaramwarima, 31, are suspects in two cases of rape and four cases of robbery which occurred in the Kuwadzana area of Harare.

Another suspect arrested is Tadiwanashe Pepa, 35, in connection with a case of theft of a motor vehicle which occurred in Adbernie around 2pm on October 18.

The suspect stole an unregistered Toyota Aqua vehicle, whose driver had left keys on the ignition at a house along Spurn Road before driving off.

In Bulawayo, on October 17, police arrested Elias Mpofu, 29, for a robbery case which occurred at Bona Mine, Inyathi last Saturday at around midnight.

The suspect, together with his three accomplices who are still at large, stole US$1 365, two cellphones and 66.3g of gold after attacking two mine workers who were sleeping in the offices.

The suspects were armed with a pick and an axe.