Two police officers, eight artisanal miners appear in court for hijacking a truck at gunpoint

TWO police officers and eight artisanal miners appeared in court for allegedly mounting a roadblock, deflating the tyres of a Toyota Hilux, locking the occupants inside the car before hijacking a truck full of carbon.

The police officers stationed at ZRP Inyathi – Tarifirenyika Mafuruse (45) and Privilege Dliwayo (32), together with Ignitious Gwadzoka, Tobias Chinedza, Tatenda Chiruka, Thomas Chiwedza, Austine Makuluni (32), Munyaradzi Tachi, Johannes Dumbu and Evans Kazimira, appeared on Thursday before Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Ms Patience Madondo facing armed robbery charges.

They were not asked to plead. The magistrate told the accused persons that it was their legal right to apply for bail at the Bulawayo High Court and that it was their legal right to seek legal representation or to be self-actors.

They were remanded in custody until 22 April.

Prosecuting, Ms Hazel Ncube told the court that on 4 March 2026, at around 5pm, the accused persons, acting in concert and with a common purpose, proceeded to Inyathi – Gloag gravel road and mounted an unsanctioned security roadblock while wearing camouflage combat gear and armed with a police FN rifle.

“While manning the unsanctioned roadblock, they blocked and stopped a white Howo 30-tonne truck, registration AGV 0301, loaded with 81 bags of carbon, which was en route to Feing Mining at Esigodini. The truck belongs to a Chinese company, YUAN HUA Pvt Ltd, located in Inyathi, Matabeleland North Province. The carbon-loaded truck was being escorted by a Toyota Hilux GD6, registration AGW 2940, with four Chinese occupants,” said Ms Ncube.

Ms Ncube told the court that the accused persons fired a single shot on the ground.

“After that, they deflated the Toyota Hilux tyres, manhandled the complainants, tied their hands behind their backs, took their cell phones and locked them inside the Toyota Hilux. The accused persons hijacked the truck loaded with carbon and drove it to a mine situated in Kenilworth, Inyathi,” said Ms Ncube.