Kudos to the ZRP

Allegations of torture and gross human rights abuses aside – the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) appears to have done a sterling job in apprehending a gang that allegedly robbed a cash-in-transit vehicle of over US$2.5 million and Z$43 090 in cash along Harare-Chinhoyi highway.
This was the first high-profile heist in 2021.
The cash-in-transit motor vehicle was transporting the money for distribution at ZB Bank branches in Chinhoyi, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gweru, Fife Street Bulawayo, Gwanda and Zvishavane.
It came just after Vice President Constantino Chiwenga announced a revised strict Level 4 national Covid-19 lockdown through his portfolio as Health Minister.
The lockdown has seen police being seized with the mammoth task of enforcing restrictions, amid a dangerous surge in infections and deaths.
The Criminal Investigations Department’s (CID) Homicide section was dispatched to investigate the robbery.
They first arrested the three security personnel tasked to ferry the money in their vehicle, on suspicion that it was an inside job.
From last Saturday police have managed to arrest nine more suspects and recovered about half a million United States dollars from the suspects as well as vehicles they had bought with proceeds of the crime.
Apart from that police managed to recover two of the vehicles used by the gang as getaway cars, with one of them having been painted white.
The police in Zimbabwe have been accused of human rights abuses by leading human rights organisations.
However, in terms of investigations, the ZRP are rated as one of the best on the continent and the arrest of these 12 accomplices within a short space of time has proved that to be true.
In February last year the police recovered a Toyota Allion that was hijacked and used as a getaway car by armed robbers who stole substantial amounts of cash in foreign currency from suspected money changers at Makoni Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza.
In March the same year police managed to recover a possible murder weapon (Machete) and the getaway car reportedly used by members of a gang that killed a police officer at Good Hope Mine in Battlefields.
These are but some of the few cases that police have exhibited their prowess in being able to investigate and solve criminal activities.
All these works come amid calls for funding to equip the force with latest resources in technology, transport and other needs to help them solve emerging sophisticated crimes.
Most of the time police are unable to attend to crime scenes due to shortage of vehicles, fuel or communication equipment.
Accommodation challenges and poor remuneration have also affected the police service, which has seen some rogue elements in the organisation turning to criminal activities in order to sustain a living.
All this aside, police did well in quickly apprehending the suspects in the latest grand heist. Nhau/Indaba