By A Correspondent- One of Zimbabwe’s most wanted suspected armed robbers, Conwell Junior Kasambarare, who is facing a plethora of robbery and housebreaking charges, is believed to have recently escaped to Cape Town after CID crack teams were deployed countrywide to track down and arrest all criminals involved in such activities.
Kasambarare, who is alleged to have been part of Musa Taj Abdul’s criminal gang and now suspected of masterminding a spate of armed robberies and housebreaking cases in and around Harare, was released last year on bail.
Sources close to the investigations said after he heard that detectives from the CID Homicide which deals with violent crimes were still looking for him, he then fled to South Africa.
A suspected accomplice, Spicer Takawira, was recently arrested on charges of house housebreaking and theft.
Kasambarare, Takawira together with Leo Mandaza, Godwin Kusikwenyu (34), last known address 11222 Parkridge Kuwadzana, and another one only identified as Chamu, recently allegedly committed seven cases of housebreaking and theft in Harare.
Decide Rice had been operating from South Africa and committing a spate of armed robberies across borders.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said after committing his Zimbabwean robberies he would flee to South Africa. But then detectives recently received information that Rice was hiding at his girlfriend’s house in Glen View 1 and they reacted.
The detectives cordoned off the house and after being confronted, he attacked them resulting in warning shots being fired. He kept attacking and so was shot in both legs and right upper arm.
Rice was pronounced dead on admission to a city hospital.
Police searched his girlfriend’s house and discovered detonators that are believed to have been used to blast safes.
According to the police, Rice was responsible for more than 12 cases of armed robbery committed since 2017. Rice had escaped several shoot-outs with the police.
Recently, police declared war on armed robbers following an increase in violent crimes countrywide. The police are hunting them down and arresting them, but like Rice some want to try and escape in gunfights. Herald