The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube
Post Correspondent
A 36-YEAR-OLD truck driver was last week Friday arrested for allegedly stealing US$7 440 from his employer after he faked an armed robbery case and lied to police that he had been robbed.
After detectives interviewed him in connection with the case, it was established on January 14 that Hacknos Matonhodze hatched a plan to steal from his employer through hiring four men who were armed with claw bars.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the incident.
“On January 10, at around 4pm, Matonhodze who was driving a 10-tonne Volvo truck registration number, AFG 8686, delivered 600 bags of cement at Rakabopa Hardware in Rochdale, Nyanga.
“He called the owner of the truck, Benson Matare, and informed him that he had made the delivery, had been paid and was on his way back to Mutare. Upon reaching the 29km-peg at Nyakupinda area along Nyanga-Mutare Road, a silver Toyota Wish which was coming from the opposite direction, switched to his lane and Matonhodze pulled off the road to avoid head-on collision.
“Matonhodze stopped the truck and three men disembarked and approached his truck. One of them who had a claw bar struck the driver’s door glass as the other two got into the truck using the passenger door which was not locked. The fourth accused who had been left behind in the gateaway car made a U-turn and faced Mutare direction. They smashed the side windscreen to the driver and pulled Matonhodze out demanding cash. They searched the vehicle and stole US$7 440 and a Samsung A21S cellphone,” he said.
Upon interrogation on January 14, 2022, it turned out that Matonhodze was behind the robbery.
He led the detectives to his home at Village 6, Mushaviri in Gutu where an amount of US$6 960 and the alleged stolen cellphone were recovered.
