BULAWAYO – The Zimbabwe Republic Police has announced the arrests of seven most wanted criminals who were all snared during a raid on a Beitbridge house owned by a police officer on Monday.

Among the seven is notorious armed robber Musa Taj Abdul, 46, of Barham Green in Bulawayo who had evaded capture for 20 years.

Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi described the arrests as a “great day for law enforcement.”

Also arrested were Liberty Mupamhanga, 29, of Glen Norah B in Harare, Godfrey Mupamhanga, 27, of Lusaka Highfield in Harare, former police officer Rudolf Kamhanga, 29, of Chishawasha Flats in Mbare and the trio of Charles Lundu, 47, Prince Makodza, 31 and Innocent Jairos, 32, all from Epworth in Harare.

Police are also holding Beitbridge-based police officer Tapiwa Mangoma, 27, who was giving sanctuary to the seven.

Police said the seven were wanted for a string of armed robberies targeting mostly shopping centres in Harare. They are suspects in a raid on Mashwede Holdings in April during which they made off with two firearms and fuel coupons worth over US$100,000.

They allegedly robbed illegal foreign currency dealers at Makoni Shopping Centre of an undisclosed amount of foreign currency.

Police said in January 2019, the suspects robbed a Beitbridge-bound Blue Circle bus at gunpoint, taking an undisclosed sum of money from passengers as well as mobile phones.

Police are also linking them to a house robbery in Glen Norah C in Harare where US$39,000 was taken from a safe.

Detectives thought they had cornered Taj Abdul in March when five suspected armed robbers were gunned down in an exchange of gunfire with police in Marlborough, but he escaped.

Police were put on the tail of the suspects after receiving a tip-off that they had been spotted at Mashavire Business Centre in the border town driving in a silver BMW 3 Series.

Detectives finally located the vehicle at Mashakada Business Centre, but it had no occupant. They laid an ambush and after a while a man with dreadlocks entered the vehicle and drove off, with police on his tail.

He drove straight to Mangoma’s house in Dulivhadzimu suburb.

“They tried to jump over a precast wall to escape with police officers in hot pursuit, assisted by the Canine unit. Our officers fired warning shots and the suspects surrendered,” Nyathi said.

Some of the suspects were treated for dog bites at the local hospital.

Police said they recovered a Noringo pistol with sworn-off serial numbers and a magazine with 11 live rounds and 228 bore gauge live rounds on a webbing belt placed in a black satchel stashed in a washing basket.

Police also recovered number plates believed stolen from vehicles in Harare.