Three Zimbabwean police officers, Albert Machona (42), Charles Musiiwa (33), and Tanyaradzwa Mhondiwa (30), have been apprehended and brought before the Mutare Magistrates’ Court for allegedly collaborating with an armed robber and sharing loot.
According to reports, on the evening of February 28, 2024, around 19:40, the accused officers responded to a distress call from the public in Morningside, Mutare. The call reported the apprehension of one of the robbers, Nyasha Foster, by citizens after he allegedly robbed a complainant of US$60,000 at her residence. Upon reaching the scene, instead of treating Foster as a suspect, the officers took him to the police station and devised a plan to misappropriate part of the recovered cash. They falsely classified Foster as an informant and released him.
Subsequently, they visited the Ireland Private Hospital, where the robbery victim was admitted, and falsely informed her that only US$26,000 had been recovered. They then handed over this reduced amount to the complainant. Suspecting foul play, the victim raised an alarm, leading to the swift arrest of the accused officers.
Following their arrest, they were remanded in custody pending a court appearance scheduled for March 8, 2024, for their bail ruling. Nyasha Foster, the alleged robber, has also been rearrested on charges related to the robbery and is set to appear in court on March 13, 2024.
