BEITBRIDGE — A 30-year-old man deported from South Africa has appeared in court facing 15 armed-robbery charges over attacks allegedly carried out in Beitbridge within about 2 weeks of his return.
Courage Siziba, also known as Tafadzwa, is accused of targeting residents, motorists and businesses between September 24 and October 8, 2026. The property involved in the Beitbridge cases includes R13,510, US$2,917 and more than 15 mobile phones and tablets.
Siziba told the court that he had been deported from South Africa because he did not have a passport. He said he had worked as a construction worker there. He is from Madhibhanjenje Village in Mberengwa.
The allegations describe a series of attacks across Beitbridge, including robberies in the New Medium Density suburb, an attack on a service station and an incident involving a 12-year-old girl. The court heard that Siziba is also accused of kidnapping the child and taking her to a bushy area.
The first incident in the court account happened at about 10pm on September 24 at a bus stop near Redan Service Station on the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Highway. Siziba and an alleged accomplice, Trust Mugombe, are accused of pointing pistols at Phillip Tamuka Mudare and Terminage John Mazita and taking US$55 and 2 mobile phones. Mugombe is still wanted by police.
The following day, Siziba allegedly went to New Medium Density. He is accused of firing a shot into the air before taking 2 phones from waitress Moreblessing Ruzvidzo. He is also accused of robbing Elliard Zhou of cash and a Samsung A07 mobile phone.
The State says further robberies followed in the same suburb. Hollen Kazamula, Kudzanai Nerufure and Audrey Zonke were allegedly robbed of amounts including R2,500, R3,000, R1,000 and US$50.
At about 3.20am on September 27, Siziba allegedly entered Energy Park Service Station while armed and forced staff to open the safe. The court account says US$2,382 was taken from the safe, along with US$70 and US$200 from workers. Police have separately described the service-station robbery as part of a wider series of attacks on businesses and motorists in the area.
The alleged attacks continued into October. On October 8, Sophia Gwinji was reportedly robbed of R6,310 and 2 phones, while Melody Gomwe was allegedly robbed of US$100 and an iPhone. A nurse in the Hawkflight area was also reportedly robbed of 4 phones, tablets and cash.
Some of the stolen property was recovered after detectives took Siziba to Bulawayo. The court account refers to the recovery of a Rossi revolver and a silver pistol. Police said a search after his arrest uncovered a Rossi .38 Special revolver loaded with 5 rounds, as well as 16 additional rounds of ammunition in his satchel.
Police say the investigation covers a longer period and a wider range of offences than the 15 Beitbridge robbery counts. Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri, a spokesperson for the Criminal Investigations Department, said: “Between August 14 and October 8, 2026, the suspect, armed with a firearm, went on a robbery spree, targeting residential properties, business premises and motorists in and around Beitbridge,” she said.
In one case, Siziba allegedly hired a taxi driver on September 17, pretending he needed to collect a parcel. He is accused of driving away in the driver’s Toyota Spade, valued at US$9,000. The vehicle was later recovered intact in Beitbridge.
Police also say a vehicle valued at R250,000 was stolen from a carport in Beitbridge on September 26. It was later traced to Zvishavane after it had been involved in a crash and was recovered damaged.
The police account also links Siziba to 2 armed-robbery cases in Mberengwa. Property valued at US$38,215, R262,900 and ZiG13,000 was reportedly stolen in those cases. Police said property valued at US$35,100 and R250,000 had been recovered.
Siziba is facing 15 counts of armed robbery, as well as charges linked to kidnapping, rape, unlawful entry and theft, and motor-vehicle theft, police said. He was arrested on October 21. He appeared in court on October 23, and was later remanded in custody to November 2 to receive medical attention.
Police credited members of the public with providing information that led to his arrest. They also said Mugombe remained at large. The police statement said: “The Zimbabwe Republic Police commends members of the public for providing credible information that led to the suspect’s arrest.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is now on the trail of the outstanding suspect, Trust Mugombe. We are now appealing for information that may lead to his arrest.”
Siziba’s case is not the first to involve Zimbabweans returned from South Africa and robbery proceedings in Beitbridge. In 2023, four men who were based in South Africa were sentenced in Beitbridge to 12 years in prison each for armed robbery. They had been arrested at a roadblock in South Africa after robbing a pirate taxi driver and were found with firearms before being deported to Zimbabwe.
Another case this year involved Justin Mpofu, who was deported from South Africa after hiding there for 15 years. Zimbabwean detectives wanted him in connection with a 2010 murder and armed robbery in which a man was fatally shot and property was taken from a bottle store. After his return, he was arrested and appeared in court. The case concerns an older alleged offence for which he had been wanted, rather than a new robbery said to have taken place after his deportation.
The Beitbridge case comes as Zimbabwe and South Africa move to establish a system for transferring sentenced prisoners between the 2 countries. The governments signed a memorandum of understanding in August 2026. It provides for eligible prisoners to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home countries and also covers wider cooperation between correctional services.
South Africa has more than 4,000 Zimbabwean nationals in its correctional facilities, while Zimbabwe has just 12 South African prisoners. However, the figure of more than 4,000 describes the Zimbabwean prison population in South Africa; it is not a published number of people confirmed for immediate transfer. The agreement does not say that every Zimbabwean prisoner will be moved at once. Prisoners transferred under the arrangement would continue serving their sentences in Zimbabwe. This arrangement, however, will likely result in an increase in crime rate as some of these inmates may be forced by the tough economic situation in Zimbabwe to commit crimes that got them arrested in South Africa where they have been seeking greener pastures.
For Beitbridge residents, the alleged attacks attributed to Siziba unfolded over a short period and ranged from street robberies to attacks on homes, workers and businesses. Detectives are still seeking Mugombe, while Siziba remains in custody as the case proceeds.