Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
Three police officers stationed at the Zimbabwe Republic Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing charges of theft, after allegedly stealing police uniforms and selling them illegally for personal profit.
The three Thabane Hugh Bajilla (43), Makomborero Dziva (31) and Sadat Cader (37), were arraigned before magistrate Mr Artwell Sanyatwe and granted bail of US$150 each.
They are expected to return to court on November 27.
Prosecutor Mr Takudzwa Jambawu told the court that between 2024 and October 13, 2025, Bajilla and Dziva, who had access to ZRP uniform stores, stole various uniforms and handed them to Cader to sell.
The trio allegedly shared the proceeds from the sales.
On October 13, 2025, a report of unlawful entry was filed after a break-in at the ZRP PGHQ Ordinance Stores, where numerous police uniforms were stolen.
On October 26, detectives from CID Suspects Harare, while investigating the reported break-in, received information that Sergeant Masceline Chirambadare of ZRP Camp and Hostels in Chitungwiza had a satchel containing seven new police grey shirts suspected to have been stolen.
The court heard that the satchel had been handed to Constable Manyika by Junior Chihambakwe who was driving a Nissan AD Van, on October 16.
Chihambakwe claimed that two uniformed police officers had boarded his vehicle on October 14 with satchels.
One officer left behind a satchel upon disembarking at Chitungwiza New Camp, which Chihambakwe later handed over to police staff.
Further investigations revealed that Dziva and Cader were claiming ownership of the bag.
An audio message from Dziva to Sergeant Chirambadare, in which he attempted to convince her to release the satchel, was obtained as evidence.
On October 27, Dziva was arrested at his workplace.
During questioning, he admitted to giving the recovered uniforms to Cader, after he received them from his supervisor, Bajilla, in Chitungwiza.
He further confessed that the stolen uniforms had been sold by Cader on their behalf at ZRP Harare Central lockers.
Investigations also revealed that the accused had been stealing uniforms in small quantities over an extended period.
Following the break-in report, Dziva allegedly phoned Cader, instructing him to remove stolen shirts from ZRP Harare Central lockers to avoid suspicion.
However, while attempting to move the shirts to a safer location, Cader inadvertently left the satchel in Chihambakwe’s vehicle, leading to the recovery of the stolen items.
The recovered uniforms were positively identified by experts from PGHQ Clothing Factory, based on their unique markings, colour, fabric texture, weave, buttons and garment construction.
