Five new robbery suspects went to court yesterday. The police say they robbed Mr. Wicknell Chivayo's in-laws and took $74,000 from their farm. All five live in Chitungwiza. Their names are Garikai Shangwa, Temptation Gerald Dinhidza, Arnold Tafirei, Tawanda Mushayatu, and Mike Mhaka. Each person faces two robbery charges. They stood before regional judge Mrs. Marehwanazvo Gofa.
Regular courts can't let these guys out on bail—only the High Court handles that for robbery cases. The judge sent them back to jail until April 10. These five join three others caught earlier for the same crime. The police say eight people did this robbery.
The prosecutor, Mr. Lancelot Mutsokoti, told everyone what had happened. He said eight people plus others not yet caught showed up at Alfa and Omega Farm in Marondera on March 18 at 1 in the morning. They brought three rifles, two pistols, bolt cutters, machetes, and iron bars. First, they jumped security guard Petros Mabunhu. They hit him with iron bars, kicked him many times, then tied his hands and legs with cable ties.
The robbers pushed Mabunhu into the farmyard, where they found another guard named Zex Mutasa Rusike. They took away his shotgun, though it had no bullets. They tied up Rusike and made him walk to the front guardroom. There, they found a third guard, Medic Zhakata, whom they attacked and tied up. Two robbers stayed to watch these guards as the rest broke into the main house.
The gang used bolt cutters to cut through the burglar screen and kitchen door. They found Mr. Gerald Muteke in his bedroom. Scared for his life, Mr. Muteke gave them $18,000 cash, a loaded Sarsilmaz pistol, and two Samsung phones. Next, they went to Vimbai Muteke's bedroom. She handed over $1,100, a safe key, and her Samsung Galaxy A35 phone.
The robbers opened the main bedroom safe and took another $55,000. During all this, guard Elphas Maruta heard about the robbery. He came toward the house, carrying a Lee-Enfield rifle loaded with four bullets. Both sides started shooting. Maruta fired twice, and the robbers shot back three times. Then, the gang ran away with $74,600 in cash and other stuff. Later, police found stolen things worth $3,800.
The same guys reportedly did another robbery on February 25. They attacked Cossam Siminya at his home around 3 AM. That time, they brought pistols, whips, iron bars, and a hammer. Mrs. Precious Makore woke up when dogs barked. She heard banging at the back door and called her husband and neighbors for help.
The robbers first found Panashe Zhuwawo sleeping in another bedroom and took his phone. When neighbors came to help, one robber fired two shots in the air, making them run away. Then they went to Jane Manokore's place and stole her TV, $700 cash, a phone, and other things. At Mr. Siminya's bedroom, they took $10,000 cash, two phones, groceries, and more stuff. They also hit the property's small store, beat up Bosco Chidukudze badly, and stole his phone. The total stolen value reached $13,220, and nothing has been found yet.
Regular courts can't let these guys out on bail—only the High Court handles that for robbery cases. The judge sent them back to jail until April 10. These five join three others caught earlier for the same crime. The police say eight people did this robbery.
The prosecutor, Mr. Lancelot Mutsokoti, told everyone what had happened. He said eight people plus others not yet caught showed up at Alfa and Omega Farm in Marondera on March 18 at 1 in the morning. They brought three rifles, two pistols, bolt cutters, machetes, and iron bars. First, they jumped security guard Petros Mabunhu. They hit him with iron bars, kicked him many times, then tied his hands and legs with cable ties.
The robbers pushed Mabunhu into the farmyard, where they found another guard named Zex Mutasa Rusike. They took away his shotgun, though it had no bullets. They tied up Rusike and made him walk to the front guardroom. There, they found a third guard, Medic Zhakata, whom they attacked and tied up. Two robbers stayed to watch these guards as the rest broke into the main house.
The gang used bolt cutters to cut through the burglar screen and kitchen door. They found Mr. Gerald Muteke in his bedroom. Scared for his life, Mr. Muteke gave them $18,000 cash, a loaded Sarsilmaz pistol, and two Samsung phones. Next, they went to Vimbai Muteke's bedroom. She handed over $1,100, a safe key, and her Samsung Galaxy A35 phone.
The robbers opened the main bedroom safe and took another $55,000. During all this, guard Elphas Maruta heard about the robbery. He came toward the house, carrying a Lee-Enfield rifle loaded with four bullets. Both sides started shooting. Maruta fired twice, and the robbers shot back three times. Then, the gang ran away with $74,600 in cash and other stuff. Later, police found stolen things worth $3,800.
The same guys reportedly did another robbery on February 25. They attacked Cossam Siminya at his home around 3 AM. That time, they brought pistols, whips, iron bars, and a hammer. Mrs. Precious Makore woke up when dogs barked. She heard banging at the back door and called her husband and neighbors for help.
The robbers first found Panashe Zhuwawo sleeping in another bedroom and took his phone. When neighbors came to help, one robber fired two shots in the air, making them run away. Then they went to Jane Manokore's place and stole her TV, $700 cash, a phone, and other things. At Mr. Siminya's bedroom, they took $10,000 cash, two phones, groceries, and more stuff. They also hit the property's small store, beat up Bosco Chidukudze badly, and stole his phone. The total stolen value reached $13,220, and nothing has been found yet.
