Police arrest gang who raided schools inspector

Fungai Lupande

Mashonaland Central Bureau 

Police have arrested the gang of eight robbers who raised the home of Rushinga district schools inspector Mrs Sarudzai Chiparaushe in the middle of last month and stole cash and a Nissan X-Trail.

The chain of arrests started when the stolen car was involved in an accident at the end of last month and ended with the capture of a robber who had previously escaped from prison.

Eight suspects, all from Rushinga, have been arrested. Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Major Samuel Chikasha named the eight as: Kudzanai Denhere (30), Nickson Zhangazha (28), Winston Sekerani (18), and Cuthbert (20) and Taona Madombi (46), who were employed as security guards, plus Mike Humbasha (35), and two females, Belinda Mupfugami (21) and Spartness Mangetani (18).

On July 18, Mrs Chiparaushe and her 21-year-old daughter Jay, went to sleep in separate bedrooms leaving the kitchen door unlocked. At around 11pm, four of the gangsters with faces covered, entered the house through the kitchen. 

One robber woke the daughter and demanded cash. She screamed for help and was assaulted before the robbers went to the mother’s bedroom. Sgt Major Chikasha said one robber pointed a pellet gun at the mother and demanded cash.

She surrendered US$120, which was in her wallet, and cell phones. The gang then ransacked the house and started packing clothes in a bag, before returning to the main bedroom and stealing US$2 200 stashed in a light bulb.

They also stole solar batteries, inverters and a television set before tying up the mother and daughter with cables.

They loaded the loot in a parked Nissan X-Trail parked outside, whose doors were not locked, and used it as their getaway car.

Ten days later, the vehicle was impounded in Mbare, Harare, after the driver was involved in an accident and failed to produce a driver’s licence. Mrs Chiparaushe positively identified the vehicle and some of the stolen goods that were still inside the car.

Detectives went to Humbasha’s homestead and arrested Sekerani who told police that the security guards provided information of all school heads who withdrew cash at Agribank Rushinga. 

Police later realised that Humbasha had escaped from Mt Darwin Prison while serving a 12-month jail term for assaulting a police officer. On August 13, Humbasha was arrested in the Chomagora area. His intention was to cross into Mozambique.

He was shot in the lower left limb after failing to heed warning shots.