Police have arrested four suspected armed robbers who are part of a syndicate which stole 750kg of gold carbons valued at around US$800 000 from gold mines in Filabusi and Esigodini.
Four other suspects are on the run.
Activated carbon is used to recover gold from the gold-cyanide complex also known as the cyanide process. It is a technique for extracting gold from low-grade ore by converting the gold to a water-soluble coordination complex.
In a statement, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the police made the breakthrough after arresting Candy Moyo (27) who was linked to the armed robbery cases.
Moyo then implicated Busani Ndlovu (20), Prince Moyo (31) and Tavona Zhou (45) leading to their arrest.
The police also recovered a Honda Fit vehicle which was being used as a getaway vehicle.
“The suspects are linked to three cases of armed robbery which include the one which occurred on 11 August 2022 where the suspects pounced at Cowslip 37 Mine, whilst armed with machetes, a bolt cutter and hammer, before stealing 400kg of gold carbons valued at US$417 000.
In another case which occurred on 1 September 2022 at True Blue Mine, Filabusi, the suspects attacked the complainant before stealing 100kgs of gold carbons, while on 28 September 2022 the suspects attacked two complainants before stealing ZWL$80, a cellphone and 250kgs of gold carbons,” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.
Nyathi appealed for information on the whereabouts of the other suspects, Honest Phiri, Nqobile Dube, Joachim Mangena and Marko Moyo.
