Suspect in Rafik Adam US$600K Armed Robbery Bought House and Kombi Worth US$115K
A man accused of taking part in the violent US$600,000 armed robbery of businessman Rafik Adam allegedly splurged part of the stolen money on a house and a commuter omnibus.
40-year-old Stewart Ngwenya from New Magwegwe, Bulawayo, was arrested and appeared in court on Monday. He wasn’t asked to plead and was remanded in custody. For bail, he was told to apply through the High Court.
Authorities believe Ngwenya was one of several men who stormed Adam’s office in central Harare in June, posing as clients before turning on him with guns.
The Violent Heist
According to investigators, Ngwenya and his co-accused — including Samson Gora (in custody), Oscar Muchenje (detained in South Africa), and Nyengerayi Chikwadze (still at large) — planned the robbery targeting Adam, a former Dynamos chairman and ex-Warriors team manager, who runs Merchantman Enterprises.
The gang reportedly entered the businessman’s offices at 93 Cameroon Street on June 9, pretending to be interested customers. Once inside, one of them pulled out a pistol and struck Adam on the forehead, demanding cash.
Adam handed over US$500 and the keys to his safe. The robbers then made off with US$600,000, along with several high-end phones from four employees, including an iPhone 13 Pro, a Samsung Fold, and other expensive devices. Some phones were later found discarded on Leopold Takawira Street as the gang fled.
Inside Job Uncovered
Police later discovered the robbery may have been an inside job. On June 27, detectives arrested Samson Gora, who was working as Adam’s driver at the time of the heist. After questioning, Gora admitted to tipping off the gang about the cash in the office.
That breakthrough led to the recovery of US$4,400 in cash, three Samsung Note 20s, three Samsung Galaxy phones, and a Toyota Hiace minibus bought with the stolen funds.
Ngwenya’s Lavish Purchases
Nearly a month later, on July 27, police in Bulawayo tracked down Ngwenya at his home after receiving information linking him to the robbery.
When questioned, he allegedly confessed to using the loot to purchase a Silver Toyota Hiace (US$20,500) and led detectives to a US$95,000 house he had bought in Sunning Hill suburb, Bulawayo.
The house is located at Stand Lot 14 of Glencoe, Willsgrove.
Ngwenya becomes the latest suspect arrested in connection to what police believe was a coordinated, premeditated robbery by a gang that included at least one trusted insider. Investigations are ongoing, with several suspects still at large.
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