The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata
Senior Reporter
POLICE in Sakubva have arrested the driver and conductor of an illegal pirate kombi for allegedly teaming up with an accomplice to rob a passenger of US$2 000.
The gang pushed the passenger off the vehicle after committing the offence.
The victim quickly reported the robbery at Sakubva Police Station and detectives tracked the commuter omnibus, resulting in the arrest of the suspects.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the incident which happened last week on Thursday.
He said the complainant, Ms Molly Percy Dhliwayo of Area 16 in Dangamvura, boarded an Early Bird commuter omnibus (ADS 6515) from Mutare Central Business District en-route to Sakubva.
“One of the suspects, Blessing Tarera (35), also got into the same vehicle and sat next to the complainant. The complainant had a handbag that contained a wallet which had US$2 000, 1 300 rand and some bank cards.
“Along the way to Sakubva and between Mutare CBD and Quest Motors Bus Stop, Tarera used a sharp object to cut open the complainant’s purse. He snatched the wallet containing the cash and bank cards. All this was done in full view of Learnmore Mapare (driver) and Cuthbert Masara (conductor) but Dhliwayo saw nothing,” said Inspector Chananda.
On arrival at Quest Motors Bus Stop, Tarera disembarked from the kombi and went to his Hobhouse house where he hid the stolen cash in his Mazda 323 vehicle and left home.
When the commuter omnibus reached Sakubva Musika, Dhliwayo discovered that she had been robbed and asked to search the commuter omnibus.
As she was about to do so, the kombi crew shoved her out and sped off.
A report was made at Sakubva Police Station.
As soon as the report was made, investigations kicked off and the commuter omnibus was located in Sakubva, resulting in the arrest of Mapare and Masara.
However, the duo denied any knowledge of the robbery case.
Police operatives at ZRP Sakubva then utilised the criminal profiling system to establish Tarera’s identity.
They made a follow up, resulting in his arrest the following day upon his return from Penhalonga where he had gone for illegal gold mining.
He led cops to his house where US$1 230 and 1 210 rands were recovered stashed in between his vehicle’s passenger seats.
The commuter omnibus was impounded and is parked at ZRP Sakubva as an exhibit.
