The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has encouraged tobacco farmers to travel during the day and not at night when traveling to and from auction floors so as to avoid armed robbers that are targeting vulnerable tobacco farmers.
In a statement, Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the robbery cases are taking place at night and the suspects are mostly a syndicate with some wearing security services uniforms from police and army while some will be wearing civilian clothing driving Honda fit and Toyota Wish vehicles without registration numbers.
Ass commissioner Nyathi said the police is engaging auction floors to serve farmers during the day so as to avoid farmers from getting robbed during the night.
“Police discourages farmers from moving at night. Transporters should have vehicles that are roadworthy to carry tobacco bales during the day and avoid night travel at all costs. The police is engaging Auction Floors to buttress the issue of security and implore farmers to deliver tobacco during day time and not at night.” He said.
This came following an armed robbery that happened on 26th April 2021 at around 2230 hours when five farmers travelling in a Nissan truck with 25 bales of tobacco where attacked by four unidentified men at a railway line along Gleneagles road in Harare.
