Online Reporter
Peter Matika, Zimpapers Writer
A 30-YEAR-OLD suspect, believed to be a member of a notorious armed robbery gang whose reign of terror stretched from Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb to Tsholotsho district, has been arrested in connection with a spate of violent crimes.
The alleged offences include carjacking, armed robbery, attempted murder and murder. Bulawayo province police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the arrest of Mkhululi Moyo, who, along with accomplices, allegedly used machetes and axes to commit the crimes.
Insp Msebele said Moyo was implicated by his accomplice, Ndumiso Nxumalo, who also named another suspect, Themba Moyo, who is still at large.
She said the gang’s alleged crime spree began in June and continued until their arrest.
“On 30 July, 2025, at around 8am Bulawayo Police received information from ZRP Tsholotsho that they had arrested Ndumiso Nxumalo, a 25-year-old man from Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, who was linked to a spate of robberies in the area,” said Insp Msebele.
She said during questioning, Nxumalo implicated his Themba and Mkhululi as accomplices. Nxumalo then led detectives to a cellphone dealer in Bulawayo, resulting in the recovery of several stolen phones.
“On 2 June 2025, around 6pm near Esigayweni area in Cowdray Park, the suspects robbed a 21-year-old man, stealing his Huawei cellphone and US$60,” said Insp Msebele.
She added that the trio struck again on 12 June at around 7pm at Emagasini, threatening a 35-year-old woman with a machete and stealing her Itel A56 cellphone and US$180.
On 21 June, around midnight in the CBD, they allegedly hijacked a car, a white Toyota Wish.
“They lured the driver under the guise of hiring a taxi to Cowdray Park. Upon reaching Hawkflight houses in Cowdray Park, they threatened the driver with an axe and ordered him out. The vehicle was later dumped in Tsholotsho,” said Insp Msebele.
On 22 June, around 8pm in Cowdray Park, they threatened a 45-year-old man with an axe and robbed him of a bag containing spanners worth US$50.
The gang continued their spree, robbing a 27-year-old man of a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 worth US$350 on 15 July. On July 24, they robbed a 52-year-old man of a Samsung Galaxy A16 valued at US$200. Later that day, near Emagasini in Cowdray Park, they assaulted another 52-year-old man with a small axe, stealing his satchel and a speaker box, valued together at US$40.
Police arrested Mkhululi on 9 September, after receiving a tip-off about a suspect matching his description in the CBD. Officers responded swiftly and arrested him on Lobengula Street and 6th Avenue as he attempted to sell a stolen Samsung cellphone.
“Moyo is due to appear in court to answer to these charges. We commend members of the public for the information that led to his arrest and warn criminals that police will not relent until all offenders are brought to justice,” said Insp Msebele.
