A suspect in the armed robbery case involving businessman and former football official Rafik Adam has been arrested, with police alleging he used part of the stolen US$600,000 to buy a house and a vehicle in Bulawayo.
Stewart Ngwenya (40), of New Magwegwe, Bulawayo, appeared before Harare regional magistrate Donald Ndirowei on Monday.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody. He was advised to approach the High Court for bail.
Ngwenya is suspected to be part of a gang that raided Adam’s offices in central Harare on 9 June, making off with a large sum of cash and valuables.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the robbers posed as clients before launching a violent attack and stealing the money.
The group, armed with pistols, allegedly assaulted Adam and forced him to hand over safe keys. Inside the safe was US$600,000 in cash.
They also stole multiple mobile phones from Adam and four of his employees, before fleeing and dumping some of the devices along Leopold Takawira Street.
One of the suspects, Samson Gora, who was employed by Adam as a driver, was arrested after detectives received a tip-off.
He allegedly confessed to supplying the robbers with information about the cash at his workplace.
His arrest led to the recovery of US$4,400, several Samsung smartphones, and a Toyota Hiace minibus believed to have been purchased using stolen funds.
Further investigations led police to Ngwenya. Detectives from CID Homicide in Bulawayo arrested him on 27 July at his home in New Magwegwe.
They recovered a silver Toyota Hiace, registration number AGY 1888, reportedly bought for US$20,500 with proceeds from the robbery.
Ngwenya also took detectives to Sunninghill, Bulawayo, where he had allegedly bought a house for US$95,000 using the stolen money.
Several other suspects remain at large, while another, Oscar Muchenje, has been arrested and is being held in South Africa.
More: H-Metro
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