Musa Taj Abdul was arrested during the raid together with 7 other members of his gang. A police officer who was protecting Abdul and his gang was among those arrested during the dramatic raid.
Abdul had managed to evade arrest for two decades and had warrants dating back to 1999 with further warrants in 2005 and 2006.
His gang members have outstanding warrants from 2018 and 2019.
Abdul and members of his gang are now in Harare for questioning. The gang was moved to Harare under heavy Support Unit guard on Tuesday by CID Homicide.
An application was made at the Harare Magistrate’s Court for a warrant to hold Abdul’s gang a little longer for questioning at Harare Central Police Station.
Police have confirmed that they have launched a manhunt for the four who managed to escape during the raid.
Of the four who escaped, Abednigo Dhlamini and Elias Mpofu, alias Jabulani or Obasanjo, are believed to have crossed into South Africa, but Brian Murape and Carlington Marasha are suspected to be still in Zimbabwe.
The gang was on police’s wanted list for a number of armed robberies including the Mashwede case in Harare recently.
Abdul’s gang is also suspected to be behind armed robberies at Trauma Centre in Borrowdale, Wessec Sol Enterprises, and a house in Queensdale among other cases.
Sources who spoke to The Herald said Abdul was once convicted in 1995 for tampering with a motor vehicle and is also wanted for questioning in Botswana and South Africa in connection with robberies in those countries.
The sources said the police will inform their counterparts of the arrest.
In South Africa, Abdul is believed to have been arrested several times but released with the help of his police connections.
