Online Reporter
Robin Muchetu, Sunday News Reporter
AN armed robber died in an accident as he sped away in a stolen vehicle during a high speed chase with police officers, while more than US$50 000 was stolen from an EcoCash agent in Bulawayo’s Central Business District (CBD) after four armed robbers pounced on the agents as they were cashing in the day’s transactions in two separate incidences on Friday, police have confirmed.
The robbery is said to have occurred after 8pm.
Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the robbery and said investigations are underway.
“We have launched investigations in connection with a robbery case which occurred in Bulawayo Central Business District at an EcoCash agent in which a substantial amount of money, over US$50 000 was taken and we are doing an investigation because we believe the suspects had inside information. We will be releasing information in due course on the investigations which are currently underway,” said Comm Nyati.
According to police sources, four unknown male adults who were wearing balaclavas pounced on their victims at around 2025 hours on Friday night.
It is alleged that the informant was in the company of 16 Ecocash cashiers at Mengistu Enterprises doing cash-ins for the transactions of the day from various EcoCash outlets under Mengistu Enterprises.
Three accused persons wearing balaclavas are said to have entered the shop and one of the accused persons used a wheel spanner to smash the screen door and gained entry behind the counter where the cashiers operate from.
The other accused person pulled out an unknown short gun from his jacket and ordered everyone to surrender the cash they had and lie down.
The accused persons then collected all the cash and also demanded safe keys and the informant gave them. The accused persons then unlocked the safe and took USD$3000. After that the accused persons left the shop.
The accused persons were observed from a distance by a Zuva Garage fuel attendant entering a Honda Fit registration number AFO 9326. The colour of the getaway car was not captured as the car sped off along 12th Avenue due west.
The total value stolen is approximately USD$50 000 and nothing has been recovered so far.
In another case that also occurred on Friday night in Bulawayo’s Queens Park suburb an armed robber died during a high-speed chase with the police after the accused had stolen a vehicle.
Commissioner Nyathi however said he was yet to get details surrounding the case.
“No one has provided us with information so far, I am still trying to verify the information and if I get it I will inform you,” he said.
However, it is alleged that on 17 July 2026 at about 2130 hours, the complainant who was driving a blue new shape Honda Fit registration number AFL 5578 picked six passengers at City Hall in Bulawayo CBD who were going to Khumalo and Killarney suburbs.
The complainant dropped five passengers and remained with one passenger along the way until he reached Killarney suburb. On his way back to Bulawayo CBD from Killarney, the complainant picked the accused persons along Adair Drive, Killarney and went via Parklands where he dropped the last passenger.
The accused persons stated that they intended to proceed to the CBD.
As the complainant dropped the last passenger whom he had picked in town, the first accused person who was seated at the front passenger seat produced a Colombian knife, threatened to stab the complainant and jumped onto the driver’s seat ordering the complainant to move to the back seat.
He then drove to a bushy area near the National University of Science and Technology where the other accused persons took turns to search the complainant’s pockets where they took a Redmi cellphone and cash amounting to US$159.
The accused persons then forced the complainant to disembark from the car and tied his hands on the tree using his jacket string before they sped off from the scene.
The complainant later managed to free himself from the tree then he proceeded to ZRP Khumalo where he reported the matter on 18 May 2026 at around 0130 hours.
Police details then tracked the car using its tracker and identified it along Airport Road.
On reaching Frere Road, Queens Park, Bulawayo, the police officers met the accused persons driving the complainant’s motor vehicle.
A police officer in reflective jacket flagged them to stop the motor vehicle but the accused persons swerved to the left and sped-off.
A high speed chase ensued with police officers using a police vehicle. Gun shots were fired towards the motor vehicle in order to stop the accused persons but they instead increased their speed turning into Longford Road Queens Park East, Bulawayo.
On reaching the curve the driver lost control of the vehicle and it veered off the road and rolled over several times.
The police officers managed to arrest the other accused persons and observed that the first accused was already dead with head injuries.
A report was made at ZRP Queens Park who attended to the scene and ferried the deceased to UBH mortuary. — @NyembeziMu
