End of road for armed robber

Another suspected serial armed robber, Alouis Nyamadzawo who had been on the police’s most wanted list for allegedly committing a spate of armed robberies after being released on bail pending appeal in 2019, has been arrested.

Nyamadzawo (45) who is believed to have been operating with Carrington Marasha and Prince Makodza, among other accomplices led by Musa Taj Abdul, was arrested at his home in Dzivaresekwa on Monday.

Nyamadzawo was among 12 suspected armed robbers including two ex-policemen, who were released on bail at the High Court in 2019 but allegedly went on to commit a spate of robberies around Harare after skipping bail.

Others that were being hunted down by police but have since been arrested are Conwell Kasambarare, Musafare Mupamhanga and Spicer Takawira

Decide Rice, Godfrey Josi, Elijah Temai Vumbunu, Leonard Huni, Fanuel Chikadaya, Peter Mushipe and the two ex-policemen Watson Magodhi (37) and Ayanda Gumbo (28) are still being sought by police.

Most of the suspects have previous criminal records and some are already in custody while others were once arrested but disappeared after being granted bail by the courts.

This resulted in warrants of arrest being issued against them for violating bail reporting conditions by not turning up on their remand dates.

Nyamadzawo is still in police custody and assisting with investigations and is expected to appear in court this week.

In one of the cases on October 4, 2019, Nyamadzawo, Carrington Marasha and their other accomplices went to Michael Tshuma’s house in Kambuzuma at around 1am while they were armed with a pistol.

They scaled over a precast wall before forcing open the kitchen door to gain entry.

The robbers produced a pistol and ordered Tshuma to surrender cash and other valuables which included a Samsung A20 cellphone.

During the process, Tshuma is said to have managed to escape and alerted his neighbours. It is alleged that the robbers dropped a satchel containing four detonator fuse cables, four Emex explosive dynamites and a pair of pliers. They also dropped Tshuma’s cellphone while being chased by a mob.

Carrington Marasha and other accomplices managed to flee while Nyamadzawo was apprehended. On December 19, 2019, police arrested Carrington Marasha after he was implicated by Nyamadzawo.

Nyamadzawo was subsequently sentenced to an effective nine years in prison but only served one year before he appealed and was released. He then went into hiding until he was arrested on Monday.

In 2014, Nyamadzawo was one of the three robbers who broke into the premises of Glad Tidings Church in Glen Norah B, Harare and stole a safe containing $30 000.

Harare magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya sentenced Prince Makodza and Alouis Nyamadzawo to seven years each while Knowledge Kamucheche (37) was sentenced to six years.

Mujaya suspended two years for each sentence and another one-and-a-half years for each on condition that the three gave back the money to the church.

Makodza and Nyamadzawo were expected to serve an effective three-and-a-half years while Kamucheche was to serve two-and-a-half years.

In September, 2016, five suspected robbers, including Nyamadzawo stole $800 and raped a tenant at the Apostolic Faith Mission Church in Harare before stealing $12 000 from a Total service station.

At that time, Nyamadzawo was on bail pending appeal while his accomplices, Talent (30) and Shadreck Madzima (40) had completed their prison terms.

The other two, Edson Murambidzi (23) and Gift Mudamburi (40) had a pending robbery case. In August 2016, Nyamadzawo also teamed up with Daniel Jenje (33), Shadreck Madzima, Munyaradzi Chikaka, Prince Makodza and robbed a Total service station in Warren Park 1 of $12 000. The Herald