Chief Marupi Loses Brand-new Mnangagwa Car, Cash, Cellphones In Brazen Robbery
Chief Marupi, a traditional leader in Gwanda District, Matabeleland South Province, was recently robbed of a brand new Isuzu vehicle he had received from President Emmerson Mnangagwa just two weeks prior.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the robbery.
According to Nyathi, the incident occurred on Thursday when unknown suspects stormed Chief Marupiโs homestead and stole the vehicle, cash amounting to $2,700, and several cellphones. He said:
The police are investigating a case where yet-to-be-identified people stormed into Chief Marupiโs homestead in Gwanda and got away with his Government-allocated vehicle, R2 700 and cellphones.
On the day in question, Chief Marupi arrived home on Thursday evening and went to retire to bed, leaving the doors of the vehicle unlocked.
While sleeping, two men wearing balaclavas stormed into the house and demanded cash. Chief Marupi then handed over R2 700 before they took their cellphones. They also drove away with his Isuzu vehicle.
The stolen vehicle was one of 90 Isuzu trucks Mnangagwa recently handed over to traditional chiefs. However, the handover of vehicles to traditional leaders drew criticism from some citizens, who argue the government should prioritise ensuring hospitals have adequate ambulances.
There has been a concerning increase in armed robbery cases across Zimbabwe in recent years. One high-profile incident occurred just recently when the Ecobank Parkade Centre branch in Bulawayo was robbed of $4.4 million in broad daylight.
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