Suspect in Rafik Adam US$600K heist buys house, kombi in Bulawayo
Another suspect in the armed robbery case in which businessman Rafik Adam lost US$600,000 bought a US$95,000 house in Bulawayo and a US$20,500 kombi from the proceeds of the crime*
Stewart Ngwenya, 40, of New Magwegwe, Bulawayo, has been arrested and was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Donald Ndirowei yesterday.
He is suspected to have been part of a gang of armed robbers who raided Adam at his office in the Harare CBD and robbed him of US$600,000.
Police suspect Ngwenya bought the house and the kombi from part of the loot which was stolen from Adam, a former Dynamos chairman and Warriors team manager.
Ngwenya was remanded in custody and was advised to approach the High Court for bail considerations.
The court heard that on June 9, Ngwenya and his accomplices – Samson Gora, who is in custody, Oscar Muchenje, who was arrested and is detained in South Africa, Nyengerayi Chikwadze, and others who are still at large – connived to rob Adam, the director of Merchantman Enterprises, at his offices at number 93 Cameroon Street, Harare.
Armed with two pistols, they went to Adam’s office and pretended to be genuine clients.
One of the robbers drew a pistol from his pocket and hit Adam with a pistol butt on his forehead as he demanded some money.
Adam surrendered US$500k and the safe keys, which were in his pocket.
The robbers unlocked a safe and stole US$600,000 which was locked inside the safe.
They ransacked the offices and took an iPhone 13 Pro and a Samsung Fold cell phone, a Samsung Galaxy, a Samsung 04, an iPhone 16 Promax and a V-lion cell phone from four employees who were in the cash office.
The gang dropped the iPhone 16 Promax and a Samsung Galaxy along Leopold Takawira and disappeared with their loot.
On June 27, this year, Detectives from CID Homicide Harare received information to the effect that Gora, who is Adam’s driver, is suspected to have been involved in the armed robbery.
Detectives swiftly reacted and arrested Gora who was at work.
He was interviewed and he indicated that he had supplied information about the money at his workplace to the gang of armed robbers.
This led to the recovery of US$4,400 cash, three Samsung Note 20 cell phones, three Samsung Galaxy cell phones bought for US$1,500 and a Toyota Hiace, registration numbers AFT1573, which had been bought using the stolen money.
On July 27, Detectives from CID Homicide Bulawayo received information that Ngwenya was suspected to have been involved in the robbery.
They swiftly reacted to the information, leading to his arrest, at his house at number 2610 New Magwegwe, Bulawayo.
He was questioned and this led to the recovery of a Silver Toyota Hiace, registration numbers AGY 1888, which he had acquired for US$20,500, using the proceeds from the crime.
He led the detectives to Sunning Hill suburb, Bulawayo, where he had acquired a house at Stand number Lot 14 of Glencoe, Willsgrove, for US$95,000, using the stolen money.
*Herald*
