Police Confirm One Dead, Two Arrested in Gweru Claremont Shootout
A police shootout with armed robbers in Gweru has resulted in the death of one suspect and the arrest of two others linked to the 2025 murder of Joseph Mutangadura, successfully accounting for all suspects in the high-profile Ruwa case.
Delicious Mathuthu 
One Dead, Two In Custody and One Escaped
Gweru - Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have put the record straight on the Gweru Claremont police shootout with armed robbers where two suspects were initially announced dead, officially stating that only one suspect died, two others hospitalised and one on the run.
A violent confrontation between Criminal Investigations Department (CID)Homicide Detectives and a notorious robbery syndicate ended in a fatal shootout at a service station in Claremont, along Lower Gweru road, Gweru, on the evening of March 19, 2026.
The ZRP officially confirmed today, following up on Thursday night's initial report, that the operation resulted in the death of one suspect and the arrest of two others, effectively closing the investigation into the brutal murder of Joseph Mutangadura at his Ruwa hideout last year in Harare.
The dead suspect has been identified as 36-year-old Valentine Mutasa, however the police report said he was 34.
The ZRP says following a tip-off, detectives tracked the suspects to the Claremont service station, where the gang opened fire upon being confronted by the detectives.
In the ensuing gunfight, Mutasa and another suspect, Solomon Wisdom Tariro (28), sustained gunshot wounds.
Mutasa was pronounced dead upon admission at Gweru Provincial Hospital, while Tariro remains in custody alongside 55-year-old Samuel Munyunguma, both injured and hospitalised.
"The suspects opened fire upon being confronted by police, leading to a shootout," National Police Spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.
One suspect, Obedience Mutasa, managed to evade capture and remains at large.
During the operation, police recovered a 9mm Canik pistol loaded with two live rounds and an Ekol 9mm blank pistol.
Investigations have already established that the Canik firearm was stolen during a previous robbery in Mberengwa in September 2025.
Further, Samuel Munyunguma is currently being linked to two other Midlands armed robbery cases that occurred in Zvishavane and Mberengwa.
The ZRP said the arrests mark another breakthrough in a case that began on August 17, 2025, when Joseph Mutangadura was murdered during a robbery at his property in Ruwa, Harare.
Police also noted that with the latest developments, all primary suspects involved in the Mutangadura murder have now been accounted for.
"The Zimbabwe Republic Police commends members of the public for providing valuable information which led to the arrest of the suspects," Commissioner Nyathi said, urging citizens to continue utilizing the National Complaints Desk and dedicated WhatsApp lines to report criminal activity.
