Five arrested in Harare for illegally selling Starlink kits
FIVE Harare men have been arrested for possessing Starlink kits without a valid licence.
The suspects; Polite Jamba (28), Ngoni Mandiwo (29)—Denver Ndebele (26)—Tinotenda Vambe (26), and Lennin Mhiripiri (26) are set to appear in Court tomorrow.
According to police report (CR) number supplied, acting on a tip off detectives on Saturday, November 02, 2024, pounced on the five suspects and found them in possession of Starlink kits without a valid licence.
Circumstances are that Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Highlands detectives received information to the effect that the two accused persons, Ndebele and Mandiwo were selling Starlink kits at shop number 1 Easy Walk Mall in the CBD.
Acting on a tip off the detectives proceeded to the said address and the suspects were found in possession of 2 by Starlink Gen 2 kits without valid licences.
They were arrested and escorted to CID Highlands for further management and the total value recovered is US$900.
“On the same date the suspects, Jamba, Vambe and Mhiripiri were approached by detectives purporting to be potential customers and were found in possession of 1 by Starlink Mini kit without a licence and were arrested and escorted to CID Highlands for further management. Total value recovered is US$450.”
Police national spokesperson could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, the Government has called on people who previously imported Starlink Kits without a licence to regularise their kits with entities such as Aura Group and TelOne, firms licenced to resell Starlink a Low Earth Orbit internet constellation services in Zimbabwe.
Starlink, a wholly-owned subsidiary of US billionaire Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, providing coverage in more than 100 countries and territories, officially activated its signal in Zimbabwe on September 7, 2024.
Recently, Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Dr Tatenda Mavetera officially launched Aura Group as one of the resellers of Starlink in Zimbabwe.-ebsinessweekl
