Two South Africans linked to R10.5m robbery in Zimbabwe
The revelation came to light during a court hearing in Harare on Monday, where the driver of the victim, prominent businessman and former Dynamos Football Club chairman Rafiq Adam, appeared facing armed robbery charges.
The accused, 35-year-old Samson Gora, is alleged to have tipped off the robbers about large sums of money kept at Adam's company offices in central Harare.
Reports are that the robbers included two Zimbabweans and two South Africans.
According to Zimbabwe's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Gora passed on detailed information about the $600 000 (roughly R10.5 million) stored at Merchantman Enterprises, Adam's business in the CBD.
'The accused, Samson Gora, provided details about the cash being kept at the premises to his accomplices,' said state prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi.
'The robbery was then executed by four men, including the two foreign nationals not known to Gora.'
The robbery took place on 16 June 2025.
Prosecutors say four men stormed the building armed with a pistol and attacked Adam while he sat at reception.
He was struck on the head with the firearm, and the gang demanded money and access to the office safe.
While the robbers only took about $500 (R8 800) from Adam directly, they then accessed the safe and made off with the full $600 000 (R10.5 million).
They also grabbed high-end gadgets, including an iPhone 13 Pro Max, a Samsung Fold, and phones belonging to other employees, some of which were later dumped during their getaway along a busy Harare street.
Gora was arrested on 27 June following a tip-off to Zimbabwe's CID Homicide Unit.
Under interrogation, he reportedly confessed to leaking the information to the gang.
He admitted to receiving $10 000 (R175 000) as his share from a man identified as Nyengerayi Chikwadze, alias Chipato.
Chikwadze, in turn, is said to have split the money with fellow Zimbabwean Oscar Muchenje and the two unnamed South African nationals, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
According to iHarare , police have since recovered $4 400 (R77 500) in cash and seized multiple Samsung smartphones and a Toyota Hiace vehicle believed to have been bought with proceeds from the heist.
Gora also led police to his brother, Willard Gora, where part of the stash had been hidden.
The case has raised eyebrows across the region, particularly because South Africans are now being sought in Zimbabwe for a high-profile crime.
It's a reversal of the usual narrative, where Zimbabweans are often accused of being involved in criminal activity across the Limpopo.
Zimbabwean authorities have launched a full-scale manhunt for the two South African suspects, who have not yet been publicly named.
Gora, meanwhile, has been remanded in custody until 16 July as investigations continue.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 .
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
20 minutes ago
- IOL News
DA accuses Simelane of corruption during heated budget vote
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane reminded the DA of its public representative, who was allegedly accused of murdering her sister, whom the party never suspended nor issued a press statement. Image: Hunk Kruger / Independent Newspapers Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane on Wednesday complained of being tried in public by the DA in order to degrade the work she was doing in government. Simelane maintained that she was not amazed by what was happening to her because a person stands in front of a judge when charged with an offence. 'I am undergoing a trial without being charged. You are trying me in public because you think this is the only way to degrade the work I am doing,' she said. Simelane responded to the DA's blistering attacks during the budget vote for her department. The DA, which had its former deputy minister, Andrew Whitfield, dismissed for taking a trip to the US without authorisation from President Cyril Ramaphosa, has vowed not to vote in support of the budgets of departments left by compromised ministers and deputy ministers. On Tuesday, the DA claimed that Simelane was under investigation after it laid charges with the SAPS for the alleged theft of more than R700,000 by fraudulently billing Eskom when she worked for a company named Vitrovian. Speaking during the debate, DA MP Luyolo Mphithi said the Human Settlements Department was saddled with a catastrophic collapse of governance across its several housing entities. Mphithi recalled that Simelane was previously accused of receiving a R575,600 'loan' from Gundo Wealth Solutions, linked to the unlawful investments of municipal funds into the VBS Mutual Bank, while she was the mayor of the Polokwane Municipality. 'It seems that the president does not at all take issue with the fact that a person accused of corruption sits in his Cabinet and will have to look after the budget with R30 billion set aside for South Africans,' he said. Mphithi also said that although the department's budget and department have many challenges, it would under normal circumstances be supported. 'However, we are faced with a minister who has corruption allegations against her and has not been accountable to the South African public, which makes it difficult for us to support this budget,' he said. Mphithi's colleague, Conrad Poole, was more brutal. He took to the podium as he took jabs at Simelane. Poole said that when Simelane was accused, she should be in the dock before a judge and not be an MP entrusted with R33 billion of taxpayer funds. 'I certainly would not bet any money on this minister doing anything to clean up shop. If the allegations of corruption are true, she would rather buy coffee shops. She may, in fact, be planning to convert the Department of Human Settlements for her grand relaunch of her 'coffee' enterprise. 'We cannot trust that the precious taxpayer money allocated to this budget will be implemented or cared for by this compromised minister, who was only redeployed to this department under the darkest of clouds. She simply cannot be trusted with R33 billion of hard-earned taxpayer funds meant to house the vulnerable, when her failures are so stark and so many,' Poole said. In response, Simelane reminded the DA of its public representative, whom she identified as Msebenzi Radebe, who was allegedly accused of the murder of her sister, whom the party never charged. 'In 2016, when I managed to place charges against him, it was only then that the DA suspended him. Even on my calls to get the DA to get a statement of murder against my sister, they did not. In 2019, three years later, she died. 'So good, you can find the nearest door to the police station. Where it matters, you don't even know where the door is,' she said. Simelane insisted that the investigation was about accountability. 'I availed myself of accountability. Now the investigation is done, and you reported the case, but you now can't wait for the investigation to conclude. I fear I am going to disappear after this. I mean really,' she said. ANC MP Albert Seabi pleaded with Simelane not to be distracted by the amount of noise, no matter how loud it may be, including the noise about an allegation not tested in court. 'You have our support minister because of your strong work ethic, your dedication, your diligence, and your consistent commitment to transparency, accountability, and transforming the sector,' said Seabi. Although some of the opposition parties indicated they would not support the budget, they did not launch any personal attacks at Simelane. EFF MP Babalwa Mathulelwa said they rejected the budget not because 'we are extortionists like the DA'. Mathulelwa said the rejection of the budget was based on the empty promise wrapped in inflation and false hopes. She said the department's budget was increased in nominal terms. 'It does not build more homes. It does not address the ever-growing backlogs, and it certainly does not restore the dignity of our people. It does not speak to housing backlog, which now exceeds 2.3m units,' Mathulelwa said. ActionSA's Malebo Patricia Kobe said they rejected the budget not because of who occupies the office, though it was deeply concerning that Simelane was under investigation for questionable VBS loans. 'The budget fails to honour the dignity of millions still waiting for a place to call home,' Kobe said. Rise Mzansi's Makashule Gana maintained that 'I will debate the budget and resist the temptation to debate or play the woman'.
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Police constables in court for murder of colleague in Sebokeng
Police constables in court for murder of colleague in Sebokeng SEBOKENG – Two police constables appeared in the Sebokeng Magistrate's Court on Tuesday in connection with the murder of fellow officer Constable Gift Mokoena, who was fatally shot in May 2021. Constables Piet Matsoso (38) and Siyabonga Kunene (31), both stationed at Evaton Police Station, and their friend Hofney Morobe (36), face multiple charges, including murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, robbery with aggravating circumstances, defeating the ends of justice, and handling a firearm while under the influence of alcohol. According to information provided by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the incident occurred on the night of 16 May 2021 in the Golden Gardens area. Matsoso and Kunene were off duty and driving with Morobe when they pursued a vehicle suspected of involvement in a house robbery. The vehicle stopped at a BP petrol station, where the accused allegedly assaulted the four occupants. During the altercation, a cellphone and car keys were reportedly taken from one of the victims. The trio then allegedly drove the victims around before handing them over to members of the Community Policing Forum (CPF). While the victims were in the custody of the CPF, Morobe and Mokoena, who had by then joined the group, allegedly continued the assault. In the course of events, Morobe allegedly fetched Matsoso's service firearm from a vehicle and shot Mokoena. The wounded officer was taken to Nkanyezi Private Hospital in Sebokeng, where he died. The accused surrendered to police on 30 June 2025. During their bail application, the state did not oppose release, citing their cooperation and the fact that witnesses are unknown to them. Bail was granted at R1,000 each. The matter was postponed to 4 September 2025 for a directive from the Director of Public Prosecutions. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
TimesLIVE
2 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
NPA petitions SCA on discharge of Ace Magashule's ex-PA Moroadi Cholota
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) for leave to appeal the judgment delivered in the Free State High Court regarding Moroadi Cholota's special plea on the lack of the court's jurisdiction in the asbestos case. Last month Cholota successfully challenged her extradition from the US to testify in the corruption trial where her former boss, former Free State premier Ace Magashule, is one of the accused. The NPA initially filed for Cholota, who was studying in the US, to be extradited in 2022 after linking her to the corruption case. After her extradition, Cholota was included in the case as an accused. However, judge Phillip Loubser said Cholota's extradition was unlawful and the court was precluded from trying the offences she was charged with. She was then discharged. 'The petition to the SCA follows after judge Loubser dismissed the NPA's request for the judge to reserve questions of law in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act,' NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said. He said the NPA believed the judge erred in dismissing the application for leave to appeal, there were reasonable prospects of success to appeal the judgment and there were compelling reasons for the SCA to hear the state's appeal. 'We are also exploring the possibility of approaching the Constitutional Court, challenging the same judgment, given the possible far-reaching implications on many other extradition matters.' TimesLIVE reported the charges Cholota was facing related to a R255m asbestos contract awarded about six years ago by the Free State department of human settlements to the Blackhead Consulting joint venture to audit, assess and remove asbestos from homes in some of the Free State's poorest areas.
