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court this week charged with armed robbery.
The ex-cop Simbarashe Mutizwa (37) is jointly charged with Cyrus Garapo (35) and Polite Madamombe (28).

It is alleged Mutizwa, Garapo, Madamombe and two other accomplices who are still at large, would pose as policemen, stop motorists and rob them at gunpoint.
Prosecutor Ms Svodai Kadivirire alleges that on July 13 this year, Mutizwa, Garapo and Madamombe connived with Costa Mutsvairo who is now late and two men still at large, James Madondo and one identified as “Madzibaba” to steal cars. It is alleged Garapo hired an unregistered Mazda B1800 truck that they used as a getaway car. The six, it is alleged, spotted Danny Lamusi who was driving a

Toyota Hilux double cab and followed him from a distance. The court heard that the gang posing as policemen with Madondo wearing a complete uniform stopped Lamusi at the intersection of Dzivarasekwa Way and Kirkman Road.
It is alleged “Madzibaba” suddenly produced a pistol and the gang threatened to shoot him before ordering him to surrender his car and mobile phone.

The gang, the State alleges, bundled Lamusi into the back seat with his hands tied with a rope. They later dumped him in Whitecliff.
Garapo, Mutizwa and Mutsvairo, it is alleged, took the vehicle to Raymond Matinyenya, a specialist in satellite tracking immobilisation for him to disable the satellite tracking.
The three removed the vehicle’s registration number and replaced it with a fake one. They also forged a registration book and a cross border police clearance certificate.

Using the fake documents, Garapo and Mutsvairo drove the vehicle to Zambia where they sold it for US$10 000.
The six shared the money.

On the second count, it is alleged Garapo on July 22 connived with Mutsvairo and ‘Madzibaba’.
Using the same modus operandi, the trio stopped Francisca Mandiwanzira who was driving a Toyota Hilux double cab.

While pretending to be inspecting the vehicle, Garapo who was wearing a police uniform ordered Mandiwanzira to surrender her vehicle as ‘Madzibaba’ pointed a pistol at her, it is alleged.
They bundled her into the back seat and dumped her in Umwinsdale.

The trio took the vehicle to Matinyenya to immobilise the satellite tracking before forging the registration book and police clearance papers.
It is the State’s case that they sold the vehicle for US$12 000 in Zambia and shared the money.

On August 5, the six using a stolen Toyota Corolla as their getaway car, robbed Daniel Kwaramba of his Toyota Raider double cab and sold it in Zambia for US$12 000.
They were arrested after a tip off.