POLICE have arrested two men and recovered two pistols stolen during the robbery and murder of Chegutu farmer, Kobus Joubert, last month.
The Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) said the two pistols had been “positively identified” after police seized the two suspects – believed to be hardcore criminals linked to a spate of robberies on farms along the Harare-Gweru highway.
Joubert, a prominent former chairman of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association and one of the country’s few last remaining white farmers, was shot dead in the October 25 raid on his Scotsdale Farm in Selous district, about 95km southwest of Harare.
In a statement on Tuesday, CFU director Hendrik Oliver said: “We wish to report to our membership that we have been notified by Police CID that arrests have been made of people suspected of being involved in the tragic murder of Chegutu farmer Kobus Joubert last month.
“Whilst the investigations continue, we appeal to our members to remain vigilant and to continue to report all incidents or suspicious sightings to the Union and to the Police, whom we sincerely thank for their successful follow up and subsequent arrests.”
During the raid, the intruders killed Joubert, assaulted his wife, Mariana, and stole US$10,000, three mobile phones and a laptop computer along with the guns.
The farmer’s murder had triggered fears that the raid could have been politically-motivated. But Zimbabwe is struggling to cope with a spike in armed robberies and the CFU had been careful to avoid making premature conclusions.
Two years ago, Joubert was attacked by militants loyal to President Robert Mugabe.
He was forced to flee his home with his wife and set up camp in the grass alongside the Harare-Kwekwe highway for several weeks.
When the police tried to move them away, the couple protested saying that they had no other home.
The late vice President Joseph Msika, who had tried to assist several white farmers since land invasions began in 2000, secured a permit for Joubert to remain in his home and continue farming.