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Crime Reporter
A 22-YEAR-OLD Harare man lost US$50 and a cellphone before he was forced to be intimate with one of the robbers who had offered him a lift to the city as cases of robberies involving women on the wrong side of law surge.
At least four more people fell victim to female robbers, who have joined ranks with the notorious mushikashika operators in robbery syndicates that have become common in most cities in the country.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the cases and said investigations were in progress.
“Police in Harare are investigating four cases of robbery involving commuters that occurred between June 7 and June 9, 2022.
In one of the incidents on June 8, 2022, at around 9pm, a 22-year-old man was robbed of US$50, a cellphone, and some personal documents after boarding an unregistered Honda Fit destined for Harare CBD at Puma service station along Ardbernie Road.
“The vehicle had four occupants, one man and three women. Along the way, the suspects diverted the route before robbing the complainant of his valuables and forcing him to be intimate with one of the female suspects,” he said.
In the second incident which occurred on Thursday, a 50-year-old man lost US$500 cash, a cellphone, and bank cards to 10 suspects—six women and four men—after boarding an unregistered white Toyota Hiace near ZUPCO garage along Glen Eagles Road, going to the CBD.
“The third incident occurred in Marlborough on Tuesday at about 10 am where a 20-year-old man was robbed of US$40, a wallet, and a cell phone after he was offered a lift in a Honda Fit vehicle which had five occupants—two men and three women—destined for Avonlea, Harare.
“The suspects kidnapped the complainant and took him to an unknown house where they slept together and later released him on June 8, 2022 at about 1500 hours,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
Last week, five sets of passengers accepting lifts from what they thought were mushikashika lost cash and phones in Harare, while a man who offered three men a lift last week lost his car. None of the robbers have been arrested but a manhunt is in progress.
Last Friday, a man aged 44 lost US$1 700 cash and other valuables worth US$1 600 to robbers after boarding a Nissan Sunny vehicle destined for Sisk Tynwald at Westlea Industrial area, Harare.
The two men in the car robbed him.
Last Saturday, three men using a blue Honda FIT (AEV 3684) went on a robbery spree hitting three people in separate attacks by first offering a passenger a lift and then when they were on the road, they suddenly diverted and robbed their victim. In the first incident, the robbers stole US$80 and a cellphone at around 7.30am in Borrowdale and dumped the female passenger at Ballantyne Park shops in Highlands.
They moved to the other side of the city but made good time because at 8.30 am they picked up a passenger in Marlborough and stole US$220.
The third robbery was of a woman who intended to go to Mazowe along Sam Nujoma Street. She was robbed of her cellphone, US$10 and R400 before being dumped along Nemakonde Way (ex Lomagundi Road) in Avondale.
Another gang, this time of four, was busy last Saturday. A 21-year-old man was robbed of a cellphone and US$760 in Harare by the gang after boarding their Toyota Wish at Kuwadzana Roundabout and going to Glen View.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter