Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba [email protected]
FOURTEEN armed robbers have appeared in court on allegations of raiding a Shurugwi mine where they made off with US$120 000 cash and gold-bearing carbon worth about US$54 000, bringing the total haul to approximately US$174 000.
Three of the suspects employed at the mine allegedly provided information on where the cash and gold-bearing carbon were kept.
The accused are Donald Siwela (41), Elliot Ncube (26), Agrippa Gwekwerere Mawere (35), Ross Sibanda (32), Motion Fika (43), Morgan Rabson (30), John Dhabuya (41), Vincent Muzhoi (33), Joseph Mapurisa (35), Tinashe Mapholisa (21), James Zhira (30), Learnmore Marange (31), Praise Ringiro (25) and Nkosana Shirichena (25).
They appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipa Marondedze facing robbery charges.
They were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody to October 2.
Opposing bail, investigating officer, Detective Constable Gracious Tapera told the court that the offences were serious and attracted severe penalties if the accused were convicted.
She said there was a high likelihood that the accused would abscond if granted bail.
“Some of the accused persons tried to flee during arrest. The allegations against the accused persons are credible and the evidence against them is very strong, considering that the accused persons were positively linked to the offence after they led police to the recovery of stolen property, which included the seven carbon columns.
“The accused also led police to persons who were found in possession of the complainant’s pistol. This is enough to cause panic hence the likelihood of absconding from trial,” she said.
Detective Constable Tapera said there was also a high likelihood of the accused tampering with evidence or interfering with witnesses if released on bail.
“The accused persons’ release will disturb public order or undermine public peace and security. The nature of the offence and the circumstances surrounding it have induced a sense of shock and fear in the community.
“Considering that dangerous weapons were used, granting the accused persons bail will jeopardise public confidence in the criminal justice system,” she said.
Prosecutor, Mr Sibangani Dube told the court that the gang raided Wildbeast 500 Mine in Shurugwi at about 2am on September 12, armed with 10 pistols, machetes and knives.
The accused allegedly assaulted mine supervisor Wu Yunani and security guard Takura Chiwedza before tying their hands and legs and forcing them into a wooden cabin.
The court heard that the gang allegedly disarmed Chiwedza of two rifles and took the complainants’ cell phones before forcing open a carbon room and stealing 1 050kg of gold-bearing carbon.
The 14 suspects allegedly proceeded to Yunani’s bedroom, where they ransacked the room and took US$120 000.
They fled with the cash, gold-bearing carbon, a shotgun and two live rounds, leaving the complainants tied up, the court heard.
Mr Dube told the court that the complainants later managed to free themselves and reported the matter to the police.
The court heard that the stolen carbon was later processed and hidden at a dilapidated farmhouse near the mine’s boiler, pending the disposal of the gold in Kwekwe.
The State alleges that Siwela, Ncube and Mawere, who were employed by the complainant, communicated with Mapurisa during the planning of the robbery and supplied information about the mine.
The court heard that Ringiro and Shirichena were arrested at an elution plant where they had allegedly gone to reprocess the gold-bearing carbon.
Seven carbon columns were subsequently recovered after some of the accused allegedly led police to where they had hidden them.
The State also alleges that a stolen shotgun was recovered following indications by Mapurisa, while US$16 250 in stolen cash was recovered from the accused persons.
A 9mm blank pistol was also recovered hidden under the bonnet of accused person number 12’s Honda Vezel.
Four other suspects believed to be part of the gang are still at large. The State alleges that Ncube, Fika, Rabson and Mapurisa made admissions in warned-and-cautioned statements.
The court heard that Mapholisa and Zhira were arrested while fleeing from the police.
