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Crime Reporter
A 37-year-old suspect who allegedly shot and killed a Waterfalls woman during a robbery before committing a spate of other crimes, has been arrested in Chitungwiza.
Aaron Fransisco Machona (37) allegedly committed a series of armed robberies in Harare from December 2021 to April 2022.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest.
“The suspect would operate alone while targeting cash or electrical accessories and would fire to subdue identified victims. On 9 December 2021 at about 2am, the suspect stormed a house in Uplands Waterfalls, Harare, and captured two complainants while armed with a pistol and wearing a balaclava. He stole property worth US$4 160 and drove away in the complainant’s silver BMW 318 vehicle (ACW 4417).
“On 30 January 2022, the suspect entered another home along Ruwa Avenue in Waterfalls, Harare, where he attacked a couple whom he threatened to shoot with a pistol before he fired a shot at the roof. The suspect later ran away after noticing some light rays filtering through the room before stealing anything,” he said.
Snr Asst Comm Nyathi added that on March 9, 2022, the suspect who was armed with an unidentified pistol while covering his face with a balaclava, stormed another house in Uplands Waterfalls, Harare, through an unlocked door and attacked three occupants while demanding cash.
The complainants surrendered US$60, an Itel and Huawei cellphones. The suspect kept on demanding for more cash while assaulting one of the complainants aged 78 all over the body with a stick.
One of the victims Jubilee Utsiwegota (30), tried to stop the suspect resulting in Machona drawing his pistol and shooting her once in the head. Utsiwegota died on the spot.
“On 13 April 2022, the suspect broke into a house in Uplands Waterfalls, Harare, and tortured three complainants while armed with a pistol and wearing a balaclava. The suspect stole property worth US$ 1 302 and left the complainants locked up in a wardrobe.
“On 22 April 2022, police detectives spotted Machona’s silver Toyota RunX vehicle (registration number AFD 6503) and pursued him, resulting in a high-speed chase. The suspect was eventually arrested at Chigovanyika shops St Mary’s, Chitungwiza,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
Police searched the suspect’s house in Unit C Chitungwiza and recovered a CZ P-10 pistol with a magazine of one round, a Samsung cellphone, four purses, three plastic flippers used to open windows, a catapult, a screwdriver, an HP laptop, a Mobicel laptop, a Compaq black laptop, a black satchel, and a black laptop bag.
Police investigations have revealed that the CZ P-10 pistol was stolen from a motor vehicle in Kadoma on 25 November 2021, and recovered the Samsung cellphone that was stolen in a robbery in Uplands Waterfalls, Harare on April 13, 2022.
Machona had acquired a stand and built a three-roomed house in Chitungwiza, bought a vehicle, and paid US$10 000 for lobola for his wife through the proceeds of armed robbery.
Meanwhile, police have confirmed the arrest of Albert Chikuse (25) for a robbery that occurred at Kilworth opposite Family 24, along Bulawayo Road, Harare on April 21, 2022, where a white Toyota Allion vehicle (AFP 5767) was stolen.
The suspect together with two others known as Joseph Mwale and Kudakwashe Alicki attacked a motorist who had parked his vehicle along the road to relieve himself with unknown metal objects all over the body. They left the victim unconscious and took his vehicle away.
Police recovered the stolen vehicle in Mhondoro and arrested Chikuse while the other occupant in the vehicle vanished in the darkness on 22 April 2022.
Police reiterated that those who commit robbery and murder will be arrested and taken to court to face the full wrath of the law.
Online Reporter