Zimbabwe: Chipinge Heist – 5 Arrested

Five suspects were last week arrested in connection with a recent robbery case at Fawcett Security Company in Chipinge.

The robbers, who made off with US$111 000 and R1 281 320, were allegedly aided by an insider who provided information.

Following a tip-off, detectives from the CID Homicide Department in Harare identified and arrested the suspects, including Norest Masikira (43), a Fawcett Security employee accused of providing information.

Harare CID, then teamed up with their counterparts in Chipinge and arrested Masikira who implicated Takesure Simango (40) of Usanga, and Givemore Makoto (40) of Medium Density, who are both unemployed.

Makoto and Simango implicated Tendai Mupatsi (25) of Gaza, and his brother, Lovejoy Mupatsi (38) of Medium Density in Chipinge.

Their arrests led to the recovery of R98 000 and US$850 from Lovejoy Mupatsi’s car.

He allegedly indicated that it was his share from the robbery. Masikira, Simango and Makoto were searched, but nothing was recovered.

Investigations revealed that Masikira admitted to supplying confidential information on Fawcett Security Company’s Chipinge vault to Simango and Makoto.

The two also admitted sharing the information with the Mupatsi brothers.

Tendai Mupatsi admitted robbing the security company in the company of other suspects.

However, he failed to mention their names, saying he did not personally know them, as they had only approached him with the idea of a heist after coming from South Africa where they claimed to reside.

“The complainants in the case are Mr Dzime Sithole, Mr George Nhamo Simango, Mr Mauka Chigonese, Mr Taurai Tarangwa and Mr Gideon Gurudza (49), all Fawcett Security Company employees,” said a police source.

When the incident occurred last Wednesday, two Fawcett Security Company personnel, Mr George Nhamo Sithole and the driver, Mr Dzime Sithole, were on supervisory duties in a Fawcett Isuzu vehicle, parked at Farm and City shop in the town.

Suddenly, two masked people, armed with pistols emerged from behind, and ordered them to disembark from the vehicle, remove their jackets and hats. The two were made to surrender vehicle keys.

ByThe Herald.