Robbers strike in Beitbridge again

Thupeyo Muleya

Beitbridge Bureau

Police are looking for three men who fatally struck a 29-year-old man with stones and robbed him of four cell phones and money last Thursday afternoon.

The attack occurred after Andy Culkin Masuka parked his vehicle in a bushy area along the road leading to Makakhavhule Cemetery and near the SDP housing area.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident yesterday and expressed concern over the recurrence of robberies in the town’s bushy areas.

He said Masuka was rushed to Beitbridge District Hospital and he succumbed the next day due to head injuries he had sustained.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the three unknown men pounced on the Andy Culkin Masuka while he was parked in a secluded bush area between SDP housing and Makakhavhule Cemetery.

“They smashed the driver’s window and stoned Masuka in the head. They took away four cellphones and an undisclosed amount of money,” he said.

He said Masuka was later taken to the hospital by good Samaritans and the matter was  reported to the police.

Chief Inspector Ndebele said intensive investigations were underway and appealed to anyone with information to contact the nearest police station.

“As the police, we are worried about the recurrence of such incidents in Beitbridge, where people have a tendency of parking vehicles in the bush, and they, in turn, get mugged or killed.

“We urge people to avoid such places to minimise the occurrence of violent crimes,” he said.

More than 10 people have been attacked by robbers while parked in bushy areas around the border town in the last 18 months.

Recently,  police arrested Zimbabwe’s seven most wanted armed robbers, including the notorious Musa Taj Abdul, commonly known as Salim Rahman (46) who had dramatically evaded police for close to two decades.

A Beitbridge police officer, who was allegedly harbouring the robbers was also arrested.

Abdul was arrested in dramatic fashion in Beitbridge two weeks ago, with dog teams playing a leading role, along with former Masvingo Central police officer Rudolf Kanhanga alias Tapiwa Munatsi (29), Beitbridge-based police officer Tapiwa Mangoma alias Tapa (27), Liberty Mupamhanga (29), Prince Makodza (31), Godfrey Mupamhanga (27), Charles Lundu (47), and Innocent Jairos (32), all of Harare.

The gang was arrested as they were preparing to pounce on a house belonging to a cross border transporter.

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