The ManicaPost
Tapiwa Mushonga Post Correspondent
POLICE in Mutare are investigating a criminal matter in which five robbers allegedly pounced at the Chiadzwa diamond fields, disarmed a security guard before looting diamond ore. Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa told The Manica Post this week that five armed robbers stole diamond ore belonging to the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company in Chiadzwa on February 23, 2019.
The incident comes hardly two months after another group of 10 criminals had bulldozed its way into the same diamond fields and looted diamond ore.
The criminals, suspected to be co-ordinated, also rounded up and disarmed unsuspecting Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) security guards on duty.
They allegedly assaulted them before force marching one of them to what is known as “the RBZ plant” where the diamond ore was stored.
Insp Kakohwa said a manhunt has been launched for the suspects.
“I can confirm that on February 23, 2019 around midnight, five robbers attacked a security officer at Chiadzwa diamond mine.
“The guard Henry Murambwa (45) was on duty and was attacked by five unknown man at ZCDC diamond fields. The criminals ordered him to remain seated in his guard room and some criminals were assigned to guard him while their accomplices looted the diamond ore which was about 80m away from the guard room,” said Insp Kakohwa.
“The robbers disappeared with the diamond ore and Murambwa was able to report the incident to his superiors the following morning around 7:15am. A report was filed at Marange police station and investigations are still in progress,” said Insp Kakohwa.
The value of the stolen diamond ore was still being quantified.
Efforts to get comment from ZCDC yesterday were fruitless as the chief executive officer was in meetings throughout the day.
During the December 16, 2018 incident, a group of suspected illegal diamond panners proceeded to the ZCDC Portal A, RBZ area 1, and approached the security guard on duty and force marched him to the RBZ plant where diamond ore was stored.
