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Crime Reporter 

POLICE have launched a manhunt for one of the six police officers who were implicated in a case in which they took about US$25 500 from two security guards who picked up and kept US$53 000 dropped by robbers that raided Quest Financial Services in Belgravia, Harare last month.

All the six cops are serial criminals who have been involved in robberies, extortions and criminal abuse of office since 2019.

The two security guards, Cornelius Muchikange (35) and Nesbert Kachungwe (35) of J and P Security Company, were last week convicted of theft by Harare magistrate Ethel Chichera who jailed them for two years.

She sentenced them to 48 months in prison with a six-month suspension on condition of good behaviour.

Another 18 months were suspended on condition that they repay US$18 650 which is still outstanding.

The duo shared the money, with Muchikange buying a Nissan Sylphy sedan for US$3 700 and a residential stand for US$6 000 in Eastview, Harare, and paying US$2 500 lobola.

Kachungwe bought a Nissan AD van for US$6 100 and building materials valued at US$1 000.

The security guards had picked up the money which had been dropped by 14 robbers who stole US$720 676, R10 500 and 120 Euro. 

It is alleged that the six police officers made a follow up and recovered part of the money from the security guards which they shared among themselves.

The cops are Detective Sergeant Since Asima (38) of Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Constable Perseverance Chisango (32) of ZRP Southerton, Cst Weston Muzoriwa (37) of ZRP Dombotombo, Cst Paradzai Matubu of ZRP Bindura Rural, Cst Fredrick Moyo of ZRP Harare Central while the sixth one Cst Prosper Chimbumu also of ZRP Harare Central Police Station is on the run.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the five and said investigations were in progress. 

He said they were looking for Cst Chimbumu whose whereabouts are still not known.

Meanwhile, police investigations have revealed that Chisango, Muzoriwa, Moyo, Matubu and Chimbumu, who are on the run, have outstanding cases dating back to 2019 where they were involved in a series of criminal activities ranging from robberies, extortions and Criminal Abuse of Office as Public Officers.

The cases are pending before the courts.

In one of the counts, on July 30 2019 at around 3pm, the rogue cops, who were in the company of four civilians, approached JH Butler Farm in Harare where they confronted a complainant Philip Butler alleging that they were detectives from CID Homicide.

The suspects accused the complainant of illegally dealing in drugs and conducted a search in his offices and during the process they robbed him of cash amounting to US$72 454 which was in a safe. 

The matter is pending before the Harare Magistrate s Court. On count two, on August 25, 2020, the suspects, who were at Moors Betting Shop along Robson Manyika Avenue in Harare, arrested a complainant after accusing him of illegally dealing in foreign currency. 

They demanded cash and extorted US$5 000 to facilitate his release.

 In another case, on May 9, 2023, the police officers went to a premise in the Avenues area where they confronted another complainant and accused him of illegally dealing in foreign currency before extorting US$3 000.

On June 1, 2023 at around 5.30pm, the suspects, who were in the company of one Lawson Muchongwe went to Groombridge in Harare and confronted a complainant and accused him of dealing in dangerous drugs. 

The suspects, who were driving a Toyota Mark X, blocked the complainant’s vehicle intending to extort him but the complainant managed to speed off.  

A report was then made at ZRP Highlands. 

On the fifth count, on October 12, 2023 at around 2pm, the suspects confronted a 51-year-old man in Vainona, Harare and extorted him of cash amounting to US$15 000. Five of the suspects have since been remanded in custody while a manhunt has been launched to arrest Prosper Chimbumu.