Roman Catholic bishop commends police action on robberies

THE Roman Catholic Church has lauded police for nabbing one of the suspects linked to a series of robberies targeting their properties in and around Bulawayo.

Roman Catholic churches and schools in Bulawayo and Matabeleland South provinces have been hit by a streak of armed robberies.

The robbers pounced on the churches between May 4 and July 13, 2023. In all the raids, the suspects used almost the same modus operandi, raising strong suspicions that it could be the same gang targeting the church.

In executing the crime, the armed robbers used guns, machetes, hammers, bolt-cutters, and knives and in some instances leave their victims tied with pieces of wire.

Last week, the Holy Trinity Catholic Church was hit where the robbers cuffed two priests and assaulted them before stealing a vehicle and more than US$1 500. The stolen car was later found dumped in Nyamandlovu.

The attack brought to 22 the number of armed robberies targeted at Roman Catholic churches since last year.

The other church, which was raided is the House of Liberty Christian Church where the gang went away with cash and other valuables. Both robberies happened last Wednesday night.

Bernard Mudimba was arrested last week in Bulawayo’s Lobengula suburb and he has since implicated two other individuals, Mthulisi Dimba and Vincent Mpofu, who are still at large.

The violent gang hit around seventeen institutions in one year with about eighteen cases being recorded this year alone.
So daring are the armed robbers that one parish St Peters and Paul in Mpopoma was hit four times on October 5, October 25, December 2 in 2022, and January this year.

The head of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo, Archbishop Alex Thomas said they were relieved when they received news of Mudimba’s arrest.

“It was quite worrying that all these months we have been witnessing so many robberies with our priests being attacked.

We approached the police and they promised us that they would do something and we are happy that they kept their promise,” he said.

“At least to my knowledge they have arrested five suspects and have also recovered some items that were stolen from our churches. They even took them for indications.”

Archbishop Thomas urged the courts to take a tough stance against armed robbers for the safety of society.

“So many armed robberies and physical assaults happened on a regular basis. These suspects are violent as they have been carrying banned weapons and instilling fear,” he said.

“We are all citizens and every citizen has to be secure and safe. Once convicted, we implore the courts to ensure that thieves are given proper punishment.”

Archbishop Thomas could not rule out the possibility that the robbers were working with some church members to get inside information.

“From what we have seen the robbers somehow knew the names of the priests and the places they attack, which for a stranger is not possible. From what we have seen they had the information,” he said.

Archbishop Thomas said while many of the dioceses in the whole country have been targeted, Bulawayo received the highest numbers.

He said the armed robbers used the same modus operandi in their raids.

“There is a sigh of relief that something is happening as some people have been identified but we still fear there could be more robbers. If these suspects are given bail or lenient sentences there is a likelihood that they would return for an act of revenge,” said Archbishop Thomas. — @themkhust