Armed robbers on police wanted list nabbed after crashing stolen motorbike

By James Muonwa l Mashonaland West Correspondent

TWO notorious armed robbers, who terrorised Mutorashanga and surrounding areas, were arrested after crashing a stolen motorbike resulting in serious injury and hospitalisation.

Arnold Chipere (36) of Eastview, Harare and Simon Makadeni (32) a.k.a Madison of Raffingora are now facing several counts of robbery as defined in section 126 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9:23.

Magistrate Toendepi Zhou remanded the duo to June 26 from their hospital beds at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.

On the first count State case, led by Knight Tafadzwa Rwodzi, is that on December 22, 2021 at around 11:30pm accused persons in connivance with Godfrey Zvidzai and Leon Mwanza, who are currently serving jail time on similar charges and three others still at large, went to Plot 37, Kanono farm, Mutorashanga.

Upon arrival the gang, which was armed with an unknown firearm, found a female occupant, tied her hands and legs before demanding money.

Complainant surrendered a purse containing US$2, a development which incensed the robbers who started assaulting her. The gang ransacked the house and stole groceries and herbicides before vanishing from the scene.

On count two, State alleges on December 23, 2021 around midnight the team used the same modus operandi and stormed a homestead in the same area and robbed complainant of US$300, solar panels, cellphones, clothes and groceries.

On the same night around 3am, accused persons proceeded to Plot 29, Kashuwawo Estates, Mutorashanga, where they forcibly opened complainant’s cottage, tied their legs and hands using twine before ordering them to lie down.

They ransacked the house and got away with US$70, ZWL$800 and herbicides which they loaded into complainant’s Honda CRV and drove off before dumping the vehicle near Muriel Mine mountain where it was recovered.

In another incident that occurred on March 21 last year around midnight, accused persons, who were clad in police uniforms and armed with two rifles, went to Kamunga farm, Mutorashanga where they stormed and identified themselves as cops from Muriel Mine police base, before ordering the complainant to lie down.

The gang took US$270 and cellphones before locking up the complainant inside the house.

On March 24 last year, accused persons’ accomplices, Zvidzai and Mwanza were arrested leading to recovery of a Petro Beretta shotgun stolen from one complainant and used in commission of offences. The pair was brought to court, convicted and sentenced.

On another count, it is alleged on June 9, 2023 around 4:30pm Chipere and Makadeni approached complainant, a motorbike mechanic at Chizhanje shops, Mutorashanga, and negotiated hiring to ferry them to Ruoka farm in Mvurwi for a US$15 fee.

Along the way Chipere asked for a recess and the complainant parked his motorbike by the roadside.

Suddenly, the two accused persons grabbed the complainant by the neck and struck him several times all over his body using an iron bar.

They tied the mechanic to a tree using shoe laces, searched his pockets and took a wallet containing US$250, two Huawei cellphones, helmet and sped off on the bike heading towards Mapinga.

Chipere and Makadeni were arrested last week on June 10 after they were involved in an accident while riding the stolen motorbike at Mapinga, Banket.

Value of stolen property is US$5, 600 while recovered goods are worth US$2, 600.