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Freeman Razemba – Crime Reporter

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has arrested seven people, believed to be in the business of making and supplying machetes to robbers.

They were arrested during raids conducted at Siya-So home industrial area in Mbare where 31 machetes were recovered.

Information gathered by The Herald revealed that the machetes prices ranged from US$6 to US$10 each.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi

In an interview, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said on Thursday, the police carried out raids at Siya-so and Matapi areas in Mbare where they arrested seven suspects.

“Yesterday we conducted raids at Siya-so and Matapi where seven accused persons were arrested for selling machetes to the machete gangs. We recovered 31 machetes,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said some of the suspects escaped during the raid.

Police, however, has, for the next three months prohibited the carrying of weapons by members of the public, as use of the dangerous weapons in criminal activities surges.

Assistant Commissioner  Nyathi urged the public to take heed of the prohibition notices in their respective areas.

Failure to comply with the order, Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said, will render one guilty of an offence that attracts a jail term.

“In accordance with Section (4) (1) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) Chapter 11:23, Officers Commanding Police Districts also known as regulating authorities have now prohibited the carrying, whether openly or by concealment, in public places or public thoroughfares or public display of catapults, machetes, axes, knobkerries, swords, knives, stones or daggers or items capable of being used as weapons and likely to occasion public disorder or a breach of peace,” he said.