KEY POINTS
- Chisanako’s sudden spending spree raised suspicions in his village.
- Police allege he stole $20,000 from a cash-in-transit van.
- Evidence recovered includes cash, a car, and construction materials.
24-year-old Kelvin Chisanako’s life abruptly changed in the final two weeks of October when he embarked on a lavish shopping binge in his underprivileged neighbourhood.
Lavish spending spree stuns poverty-stricken Zimbabwe neighborhood
In just two weeks, Chisanako quickly gathered assets, such as a Toyota Aqua car, construction supplies, and multiple new suits, shocking the people of Mwenezi in Zimbabwe’s Masvingo district. His unexpected money came practically overnight, leaving the neighbourhood to speculate. When it was revealed this week that his sudden wealth was purportedly ill-gotten, their suspicions were validated.
Chisanako was detained on Sunday on suspicion of robbing cash-in-transit security guards of a $20,000 cash box after they granted him a ride on the Beitbridge-Mutare Highway on October 17. Police claim that Chisanako stole the money, which was allegedly meant for bank deposits, by seizing an opportunity during the journey.
Chisanako’s arrest was verified by national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who said the cash-in-transit van was carrying money from Beitbridge to Mutare, a crucial route for financial couriers in Zimbabwe. Police in Masvingo detained the suspect at Mangwawo village, Mawarire, Mwenezi, on November 3, 2024, after learning that he had substantial cash on hand, according to Nyathi. When the suspect boarded the cash-in-transit van at Lutumba Business Centre in Beitbridge, he confessed to police that he had stolen the money.
Police arrest and recover evidence, including a Toyota Aqua
According to Newsday, police found an empty cash box, $600 and ZAR 2,320 in cash, and the Toyota Aqua car that Chisanako allegedly purchased for $9,800 after he was arrested.
Subsequent enquiries showed that Chisanako spent the funds on a variety of construction supplies, such as 15,000 farm bricks, seven window frames, two French doors, thirty 12-foot roofing sheets, and thirty-five bags of cement. Without trying to conceal his purchases from inquisitive neighbours, he also bought three men’s clothes and a mobile.
Residents of the town were astonished by Chisanako’s fleeting display of wealth, but his incarceration provided some closure. According to police, investigations are still underway as they try to get more specifics about the heist.
