Since the robbery took place on April 21, local police and the
International Police (Interpol) have since tracked down the gang in an
operation that was later joined by a special police force led by the
Commander of the Special Operations, Deputy Commissioner of Police
(DCP) Venance Tossi.
The Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Robert Manumba, confirmed
the arrests yesterday but declined further details. However, the DCI
said the 3,500 ounces of gold – valued at an estimated 4bn/- —
reportedly stolen from the gold mine had not been recovered as yet.
But the Tabora Regional Commissioner, Mr Abeid Mwinyimsa, is reported
to have told sections of the media soon after the robbery incident that
there was evidence of an inside' job – suggesting that some mine
employees were involved in the incident. We have the evidence that
either current or retrenched workers participated in the robbery, the
RC was quoted as saying.
Subsequently, the Commissioner of Police (responsible for operations),
CP Paul Chagonja, was also quoted as saying that there were at least
six armed robbers involved, some reportedly wearing masks and that at
least one suspect was later marked out as a former security guard at
the mine who resigned hardly a week before the robbery incident.
The head of the Economic and Financial Crimes at the police
headquarters, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Samson Kasala, told
the ‘Daily News’ last month that local police had sought urgent
assistance from Interpol to help mark the borders of the neighbouring
countries to ensure the gang did not get an easy get-away route.
We have a special arrangement with Interpol during such incidents so
we have asked them to join our forces especially at common borders with
Kenya and Uganda through which the robbers could easily escape, he
said. However, the DCI said yesterday that all the three robbers were
arrested within Tanzanian territory.
Earlier, the Tabora Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner
of Police (ACP) Emson Mmari, was quoted telling the local media that
the police detectives were zeroing on the suspected robbers, saying it
was just a matter of time.'
However, ACP Mmari said he was convinced the robbers were Tanzanians
who were well conversant with the mine site. He said they had robbed
and vanished from the mining area using one vehicle which was also
suspected to have been carjacked from its original owner – but
couldn't' specify where the carjacking incident took place.
The suspects – apparently better armed than the security guards at the
mine — attacked and seriously wounded four of them during an exchange
of fire. The gang had one sub-machine gun (SMG), one shotgun and a
pistol. Resolute (T) Ltd management announced the robbery incident to
the Australian Stock Exchange but said it had nothing to lose as the
loss had an insurance cover.
Last week, the DCI urged mining investors to strictly observe security
measures they agreed to follow during the signing of the investment
contracts and according to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with
the authorities.
Daily News
Post published in: Zimbabwe News