A scenario worthy of a crime film. But this time, brutal reality struck the Village of Hope Institution, an orphanage and church located in the Westgate neighborhood of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. Three armed men stormed in on Monday evening and made off with over $30,000 after nearly an hour-long raid with impunity.

An hour of terror

It all began when three armed individuals, at least one of whom was carrying a G3 rifle, stormed the institution's premises around 8 p.m. local time. Their target: the administrative offices. For nearly an hour, the assailants methodically searched the premises one by one.

Richard Chimbetete, director of the Village of Hope, described the operation with astonishment: “Three armed men searched the offices, including those of the bishop, social workers, the director, and the finance department.” Nothing was spared. Safes and cash registers were emptied of their contents.

Overworked and beaten security guards

The most shocking aspect of this case lies in the treatment inflicted on the two security guards stationed there that evening. The first guard, who attempted to resist, was disarmed and then repeatedly struck on the head with the butt of a rifle. The assailants then handcuffed him with electrical cables before locking him in the water pump room.

The second guard, who was on patrol, was also attacked. He was reportedly struck with an unidentified object before the robbers headed towards the administrative offices. Both men were taken to the hospital after paramedics arrived.

A carefully calculated haul

Investigators have established a precise breakdown of the total amount stolen. In the director's office alone, $25,000 was reportedly taken. An additional $2,500 was stolen from the human resources department. Smaller sums were also taken from the finance and social services offices. The total is estimated at around $30,000, or approximately €28,000.

This sum represents several months' budget for an orphanage that cares for the most vulnerable children in Zimbabwe. The financial impact will be considerable for the institution.

A weapon stolen from the police

A disturbing detail revealed by the investigation: the G3 rifle used in the robbery had itself been stolen a few days earlier during an ambush against three police officers in the Mabelreign area. During this initial attack, masked individuals had targeted a police vehicle, damaged it, and seized the service weapon.

The same rifle was found at the scene of the orphanage robbery after one of the suspects apparently accidentally abandoned or dropped it. This weapon could lead investigators to the criminal group behind both attacks.

Unwitting witness: a faithful woman taken hostage

One further detail reveals the cold-bloodedness of the attackers. A member of the church, a woman who was praying there at the time, crossed their path. She had approached the gate after hearing the guard call for help.

One of the robbers grabbed her and ordered her to lie on the ground. She remained in that position for the entire duration of the raid, nearly an hour, unable to move or call for help. She was finally freed once the assailants had left.

The ongoing investigation

Zimbabwean police have launched a major investigation into the case. Current leads include the possible involvement of a former employee or someone familiar with the premises, given the precision with which the attackers targeted the offices containing the funds.

No arrests have yet been officially announced. But with a weapon found at the scene and two eyewitnesses (the guards and the woman), investigators have solid evidence to try to identify the perpetrators of this exceptionally audacious robbery.