SOME rogue Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers are allegedly stealing police uniforms and supplying them to criminal elements to rob members of the public including motorists.
This emerged at the Harare magistrates court when three police officers stationed at Chitungwiza were being charged with the theft of police uniforms.
Harare magistrate Artwell Sanyatwe said the suspects Thabani Bajila (43), Makomborero Dziva (31), and Sadat Cadet (37) were granted a bail of US$150 each.
The court ordered them not to interfere with State witnesses as their case proceeds.
Prosecutors alleged that between early 2024 and October 24, 2025, the three officers took advantage of their access to a storeroom where police uniforms are kept.
The court heard that Cadet was responsible for selling the stolen uniforms and splitting the profits with his accomplices.
The case came to light on October 13 after an informant reported a separate unlawful entry at the ZRP headquarters.
Detectives from CID Suspects Harare pursued the matter and received information that sergeant Masceline Chirambadare, based at ZRP Camp and Hostels in Chitungwiza, was in possession of a satchel containing seven new police grey shirts suspected to have been stolen.
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Upon interview, Chirambadare stated that the satchel had been given to a colleague, one Constable Manyika, by a Nissan AD van driver, Junior Chihambakwe, on October 16.
Chirambadare told investigators that on October 14, he had transported two uniformed police officers from town to Chitungwiza New Camp.
Upon disembarking, one of the officers left a satchel in his vehicle.
Investigations revealed that both Dziva and Cadet later came forward to claim the forgotten bag.
Dziva was picked up for questioning on October 27, where he confirmed that he had given the recovered uniforms to Cadet.
He stated he had received them from Bajila, who is a member-in-charge at the Chitungwiza station.
Further investigations revealed that the accused had been stealing uniforms from the ZRP ordinance stores in smaller quantities over an extended period.
Prosecutors also alleged that after the report of the unlawful entry, Dziva phoned Cadet and advised him to remove the shirts from ZRP Harare Central to avoid being linked to the crime.
It was while Cadet was moving the shirts to a new location that he allegedly forgot them in Chihambakwe's vehicle, leading to their recovery and the exposure of the alleged theft ring.
