Two Chitungwiza Bogus Police Officers Face Robbery Charges After Conning Victim of US$10K in Harare

Two men from Chitungwiza appeared in court facing robbery charges for allegedly conning US$10K in Harare while posing as police officers.

Harare magistrate Mrs. Fadzai Mthombeni presided over the robbery case of Tendai Chiraya (43) and Onisimo Maruke (50).

Deceptive Encounter, Impersonation and Threats

According to the State’s allegations, on February 22, at the intersection of Corner Herbert Chitepo Avenue and Fife Avenue, the complainant was approached by Chiraya and Maruke, who falsely claimed to be agents from the National Anti-Corruption of Zimbabwe. They threatened to arrest the victim, accusing him of possessing a substantial amount of money.

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Bribery and Forceful Seizure

Exploiting the victim’s fear, Chiraya and Maruke further intimidated him, claiming they would hand over the money to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. The complainant, seeking to navigate the situation, offered Chiraya a bribe of US$150.

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However, Maruke, armed with an okapi knife, demanded more money and forcibly seized US$10K in US$20 notes from the victim.

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Collaborative Investigation Yields Arrests

After the incident, on March 8, detectives from CID Homicide Harare received information regarding the whereabouts of the accused individuals in Chitungwiza. Acting swiftly, the detectives managed to apprehend Chiraya, who cooperated by leading them to the arrest of Maruke.

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Stolen Funds Unrecovered & Legal Proceedings

Despite the arrests, the stolen amount of US$10,150 remains unaccounted for, as no recovery has been made thus far. Both Chiraya and Maruke have been remanded in custody, pending a bail application.

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