Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
POLICE have arrested two out of four suspected armed robbers who were involved in five raids in Bulawayo and Plumtree in Matabeleland South, getting away with cash and cellphones among other valuables.
Police arrested Thubelihle Ncube (34) and Sonto Sibanda (32) while their accomplices Kaunda Ndlovu and Simelweyinkosi Dube are on the run.
The gang is said to have terrorised Bulawayo and Plumtree residents, attacking their victims with an axe, knife and knobkerries and sjambok.
It is said when cops raided the suspects they found a blood-stained axe and recovered some of the stolen items.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed their arrest and said the quartet raided homes in Bulawayo between August 13 and September 4 before Sibanda ran out of luck last Saturday.
“The suspects are linked to a robbery case which occurred on 13 August 2021 in Emganwini suburb, Bulawayo where US$900, R3 400, $6 000 and three cellphones were stolen. The gang was also involved in another robbery which occurred on 14 August along St Lawrence Road, Parklands, Bulawayo in which US$400 and a cellphone were stolen and another case which occurred along Carderwood Road, Sunninghill, Bulawayo where US$150, laptops and a cellphone were stolen,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said the two suspects were arrested after Sibanda was found using a cellphone belonging to one of his victims.
“On September 4, police received information that Sonto Sibanda was using a cellphone which was stolen in a robbery incident which occurred in Plumtree. The suspects had attacked a complainant and stole P1 300, US$250, $30 000 as well as the complainant’s cellphone. Detectives raided Sonto’s home in Bulawayo resulting in his arrest and recovery of the stolen cellphone. The suspect implicated his accomplice Thubelihle Ncube and the other two suspects who are still at large,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
In a related matter, Asst Comm Nyathi said alert cops on Sunday arrested four suspected robbers who had raided a villager in Beitbridge district.
“On 5 September 2021, police officers manning a roadblock at Nottingham turn-off, Beitbridge arrested Hoko Senzangakhona (39), Fanuel Mbedzi (unknown age), Mashudu Mbedzi (30) and Prince Ndou (30) for a robbery case which occurred in Toporo Village 9 Beitbridge on the same day in which the suspects robbed a complainant of US$120 and two cellphones,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
Over the past few months, the country has recorded an increase in armed robbery cases where in most incidents the suspects used guns to commit crimes.
The increase in armed robbery cases has seen police increasing the deployment of specialist units to armed robbery hotspots.
Government has also capacitated the force with vehicles to improve their mobility.
Some of the armed robbers are said to be Zimbabweans based in South Africa who descend into the country just to commit crimes before crossing the border. — @nqotshili
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