Former police officer and private investigator Tafadzwa Chidawa has been remanded in custody after a warrant for his arrest was confirmed in connection to a five-year-old theft case.
Chidawa is accused of masterminding a staged robbery involving US$20,000 at Blue Ridge Lodge in 2020, allegedly to cover up an adulterous affair.
The case has implicated multiple suspects, some of whom remain fugitives.
Court documents reveal that Melody Matanhire, the complainant, was in a relationship with Malvern Mutanda, who misled her into believing he possessed US$100,000 in soiled money that needed cleaning.
Mutanda persuaded Matanhire to provide US$20,000 in clean cash, promising her a commission in return. Trusting him, she withdrew the money from her Glen Lorne home and accompanied him to the lodge, unaware of the setup.
Matanhire placed the money in a cooler box at Blue Ridge Lodge after he handed it over. Chidawa and his accomplices Paradza Passmore Matubu, Perseverance Chisango, and Francis Takura arrived pretending to be police officers.
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They apprehended Mutanda and seized the cooler box, making it appear like an official arrest. Soon after, the group released Matanhire and divided the stolen cash among themselves.
The crime came to light when Matanhire, trying to conceal her loss from her husband, staged a fake robbery at her home.
Detectives from CID Homicide investigated the alleged robbery and uncovered the conspiracy. The arrest of Mutanda led to the recovery of part of the stolen money.
Further investigations resulted in Takura’s arrest while driving a Mercedes Benz Compressor linked to the crime. Evidence recovered from Takura’s vehicle included an ID card belonging to Chidawa, implicating him in the operation.
Chidawa, who previously skipped court proceedings in January 2023 along with Matubu and Chisango, is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow as his trial continues.
Meanwhile, his co-conspirators, Mutanda and Takura, remain at large. Authorities are continuing their efforts to apprehend all those involved and ensure justice is served.
