Murder and armed robbery sprees come to an abrupt end

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Full statement by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, on the arrest of armed robbery and murder suspect Aaron Fransisco Machona.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has nabbed a notorious armed robbery suspect Aaron Fransisco Machona (37) for committing a series of armed robbery cases in Harare from December 2021 to April 2022.
The suspect would operate alone while targeting cash or electrical accessories and would fire to subdue identified victims.

On 9th December 2021 at about 0200 hours, the suspect stormed a house in Uplands Waterfalls, Harare and captured two complainants while armed with a pistol and wearing a balaclava.

He stole property worth US$4 160 and drove away in the complainant’s silver BMW 318 vehicle (ACW 4417).

On 30th January 2022, the suspect invaded another home along Ruwa Avenue Waterfalls, Harare where he attacked a couple whom he threatened to shoot with a pistol before he fired one shot on the roof.

The suspect later ran away after noticing some light rays filtering through the room before stealing anything.

On 9th March 2022, the suspect who was armed with an unidentified pistol while covering his face with a balaclava, stormed another house in Uplands Waterfalls, Harare through an unlocked door and attacked three occupants while demanding cash.

The complainants surrendered US$60-00, Itel 16 and Huawei cellphones, however, the suspect kept on demanding more cash while assaulting one of the complainants (78), all over the body with a stick.

One of the victims Jubilee Utsiwegota (30) tried to stop the suspect resulting in Machona drawing a pistol before shooting her once in the head. Utsiwegota died instantly.

On 13th April 2022, the suspect broke into a house in Uplands Waterfalls, Harare and tortured three (03) complainants while armed with a pistol and wearing a balaclava.

The suspect stole property worth US$ 1 302 and left the complainants locked up in a wardrobe.

On 22nd April 2022, Police detectives spotted Machona’s silver Toyota Runx vehicle (AFD 6503) and pursued him resulting in a high-speed chase. The suspect was eventually arrested at Chigovanyika St Mary’s, Chitungwiza.

Police searched the suspect’s house in Unit C Chitungwiza and recovered a CZ P-10 pistol with a magazine of one round, a Samsung cellphone, four (04) purses, three (03) plastic flippers used to open windows, a catapult, screwdriver, Hp laptop, Mobicel laptop, Compaq black laptop, black satchel and black laptop bag.

Police investigations have revealed that the CZ P-10 pistol was stolen by means of theft from a motor vehicle in Kadoma on 25th November 2021 and the recovered Samsung cellphone was stolen by means of robbery in Uplands Waterfalls, Harare on 13th April 2022.

The suspect had acquired a stand and built a three-roomed house in Chitungwiza, bought a vehicle and paid US$10 000 for lobola for his wife through the proceeds of armed robbery cases.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Albert Chikuse (25) for a robbery case which occurred at Kilworth opposite Family 24, along Bulawayo Road, Harare on 21st April 2022 where a white Toyota Allion vehicle (AFP 5767) was stolen.

The suspect together with two others known as Joseph Mwale and Kudakwashe Alicki attacked a motorist (38) who had parked his vehicle along the road to relieve himself with unknown metal objects all over the body. They left the victim unconscious and took his vehicle away.

Police recovered the stolen vehicle in Mhondoro and arrested Chikuse whilst the other occupant in the vehicle vanished in the darkness on 22nd April 2022.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police reiterates that those who commit robbery and murder cases will be arrested and taken to court to face the full wrath of the law.

–Pindula