HARARE – Armed robbers blasted a safe and stole US$3,700 from a manufacturing plant of the Kambucha energy drink in Harare early Wednesday, police said.
A senior company employee however told ZimLive that the stolen amount had been grossly understated to avoid scrutiny by the taxman.
The amount stolen was closer to US$900,000, the employee maintained. Kambucha Fresh Zimbabwe owner Eric Francis Niyonsaba, a 43-year-old Ugandan national, notoriously does not bank money and is currently on remand accused of shooting at three employees while accusing them of selling information to criminals in 2022, the employee said.
Police are investigating the raid at 17001 Sande Crescent in the Graniteside industrial area.
National police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: “The ZRP confirms that investigations are being conducted in connection with an alleged armed robbery incident which occurred at Kambucha Holdings at 1.35AM today where US$3,702 was stolen.
“Eight suspects who were armed attacked a security guard, took his firearm and held hostage eight workers before ransacking the administration block and forced open a safe.”
Explosives were reportedly used to blow up the safe where the money was kept.
Kambucha is an energy drink which its makers say has immune system boosting qualities.
The company declined a request for comment.
