Five siblings up for armed robbery

Nyore Madzianike

CASES of siblings being involved in crime are not uncommon in Zimbabwe, but the Madzima brothers appear to have gained a new level of infamy.

Five siblings — Shadreck, Talent, Brian, Tatenda and Lameck Madzima — are currently in custody for different cases of armed robbery, police records show.

In 2016, Shadreck, who was 40 years old at the time, had already served a prison term, along with his brother Talent, who was aged 30. However, when they were released that year, they allegedly continued with their crime spree.

On August 28, 2016, the duo reportedly teamed up with accomplices and went on to rape and rob a woman of US$800 at the Apostolic Faith Mission Church in Waterfalls, Harare. Police sources say the two are presently in police custody, awaiting trial for various alleged offences, mostly armed robbery.

Shadreck and Talent seem to have passed on their notoriety to three of their siblings, Brian (27), Lameck (28) and Tatenda (30). The trio were arrested this month, together with Roman Badza (28), after they allegedly robbed a Harare family on January 13 this year.

Ironically, the brothers sold each other out.

Circumstances leading to their arrest are that on February 1 this year, detectives from CID Homicide Harare received information that Brian was taken to the Harare Magistrates’ Court (CRB 683/24) after allegedly robbing a family of cash and other valuables at a house in Dzivaresekwa Extension, Harare.

Brian then implicated his accomplices, whom he said were in Epworth. He also told the detectives that a firearm that was used to commit the offence was taken by his brother Lameck, who stays in Epworth.

The following day, detectives from CID Homicide Harare went to Muguta area in Epworth, where they subsequently arrested Lameck.

Upon being interviewed, Lameck implicated Tatenda and two other accomplices. Tatenda was arrested in Budiriro 4, Harare.

The three Madzima brothers were remanded in custody to February 20 when they appeared before magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei on February 4.