FIVE people last week appeared before a Harare magistrate charged with three separate counts of armed robbery.
Talkmore Masanga (45), Tafadzwa Kupeta (27), Rashid Adam Chipanga (30), Stephen Mahachi (51) and Wonder Matope (42) allegedly used firearms and axes to intimidate victims before stealing cash, electronic goods and other valuables.
Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje told Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa that on the first count, the complainant, Elemencia Mbito (50) from Manyame Park, in St Mary’s, Chitungwiza, arrived home driving her Honda Fit motor vehicle.
When she entered the house, the five, who were in the company of others who are still at large, broke the kitchen window and burglar bar with an axe to gain entry.
They allegedly pointed firearms at Mbito and ordered her to lie down on the floor.
They robbed her of US$1 500.
They allegedly ransacked the house, robbed her of cellphones and car keys and later dumped the cellphones under the motor vehicle.
They took with them a power bank and a Samsung cellphone.
- How Mine gold heist: 3 suspects arrested
- Armed robberies, car-jackings irk Gwanda residents
- Candid Comment: Worrying rise in indiscipline rocks security sector
- Police nab 2 armed robbers linked to 25 cases
Keep Reading
On the second count, Memory Mudzongachiso (43) of Hopley Zone 6, Harare, was asleep in her bedroom and was awakened by a loud bang on her dining room window.
When she woke up to investigate, she was confronted by the accused persons who were armed with two firearms and an axe.
They pointed the guns at her and ordered her to lie down on the floor after which they tied her hands and legs with shoelaces.
They robbed her of US$8 400 cash.
The accused persons allegedly fired three shots into the air to scare off people before going away.
It is further alleged that the accused persons also attacked Tendero Nyamundaya from Hopley Zone 6 who was asleep in her bedroom with her husband Linance Shambare.
The two were awakened by a loud noise on her bedroom window.
The accused persons pointed firearms at the couple while demanding cash before they severely assaulted the complainant’s husband with an axe and robbed them of US$600.
They allegedly ransacked the house and stole a power bank.
The robbers fired three shots into the air to scare off people who had gathered outside the complainant’s yard before escaping.
Chirenje told the court that on October 21, detectives from CID Homicide Harare picked up information that the accused persons were involved in robbery cases in and around Harare and Chitungwiza.
The court heard that on October 22 this year, the detectives arrested the accused persons on robbery charges, leading to the recovery of a Walther P38 pistol with an erased serial number charged with an empty magazine.
