Five suspected notorious armed robbers have been apprehended in connection with a series of armed robberies in Hwange and an attempted robbery at BancABC Bank in Kamativi in Matabeleland North province.
The arrests were confirmed by national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi and the news brings the much-needed relief to the Matabeleland North region.
The suspects were identified as Derren Tshuma (25), Proud Gumbo (30), Moyo Tamsanqa (33), Michael Donald Sibanda (26) and Majority Ndlovu (26). They were apprehended following a meticulous police operation. The operation was launched after police received credible information about a planned robbery at the BancABC Bank in Kamativi.
“On August 27, police conducted surveillance around BancABC Bank Kamativi after receiving information about a planned robbery at the bank. A gunshot was later heard and three suspects were seen fleeing,” Nyathi said.
“Police gave chase, leading to the arrest of Tshuma and recovery of a spent cartridge as well as a national identification card stolen at a garage in Hwange on May 5.”
Further investigations, conducted with relentless determination, led to the arrest of Gumbo at a bus stop near Cross Dete along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road on August 28.
This arrest proved to be a crucial turning point in the investigation, as it led to the recovery of a Browning pistol and the subsequent apprehension of the remaining suspects, Moyo, Sibanda and Ndlovu.
The suspects’ getaway vehicles, a Nissan AD Van and a Nissan Sunny, were also recovered, further strengthening the police’s case against the alleged perpetrators. The investigation revealed that the suspects were not simply opportunistic criminals, but rather a well-organised armed robbers linked to a string of robberies in the region.
“The suspects are linked to five cases of armed robbery which occurred in Victoria Falls and Hwange between December 31, 2022 and June 30, 2024, including a case of robbery which occurred at ZB Bank Victoria Falls on December 31, 2022, where US$15 964 was stolen and another robbery which occurred at a service station on January 8, 2024, where a security guard was stabbed with an Okapi knife on the back before cash was stolen,” Nyathi said.
The suspects were also linked to a robbery that took place at a bar in Lwendulu village, Hwange, on June 2, where cash and cellphones were stolen.
