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Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
A GANG of five suspected armed robbers has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of armed robbery committed around Harare and Chitungwiza.
Talkmore Masanga (45), Tafadzwa Kupeta (27), Rashid Adam Chipanga (30), Stephen Mahachi (51) and Wonder Matope (42) appeared before Harare regional magistrate yesterday and were remanded in custody to November 14 pending finalisation of investigations.
The gang has been linked by CID Homicide to more than five robberies.
Prosecutor Mr Anesu Chirenje alleged that on October 10 at around 9 pm, Elemencia Mbito (50) of Chitungwiza, arrived home driving her Honda Fit.
When she entered the house, the five, in the company of others still at large, broke the kitchen window and burglar bar with an axe, pointed firearms at her and ordered her to lie down on the floor before they robbed her of US$1 500 cash.
They ransacked the house and stole cellphones, and Honda Fit car keys.
They later dumped the cellphones under the motor vehicle. The total value stolen is US$1 700 and nothing was recovered.
On the second charge, it is alleged that on the same day at around 11 pm, Memory Mudzongachiso from Hopley Zone 6, Harare, was asleep in her bedroom when she was awakened by a loud bang on her dining room window.
When she woke up to investigate, she was confronted by the gang armed with two firearms and an axe. They pointed firearms at Mudzongachiso, ordered her to lie down on the floor and tied her hands and legs with shoelaces.
They robbed her of US$8 400 cash and also took away a metal hoe. The gang fired three shots into the air to scare off people and went away. The total value stolen is US$8 890 and nothing was recovered.
On the third charge, the gang on the same night at around 11.45pm, moved on to Tendero Nyamundaya, also from Hopley Zone 6. She was asleep in her bedroom in the company of her husband Linance Shambare when they were awakened by a loud bang on their window.
The gang, armed with pistols and an axe, pointed firearms at the couple while looking for cash. They severely assaulted Mr Shambare with an axe and robbed them of US$600. They then ransacked the house and also stole a power bank. Again, they fired three shots into the air to scare off people who had gathered outside the yard before escaping. The total value stolen is US$630 and nothing was recovered.
On Monday, detectives from CID Homicide Harare heard that the five were involved in robberies in and around Harare and Chitungwiza.
The detectives arrested Masanga who implicated four other accused persons. Further follow-ups were made leading to their arrest. On Tuesday, the five led detectives to Kupeta’s residence and the recovery of a 9mm P38 Walther pistol with an erased serial number and three Retay pistols: an Airgun Cal 4.5mm KWC Super Cat, a Retay MOD 92 Cal .9mm and a Retay 84 FS Cal 9mm. The firearms were found in Kupeta’s bedroom in Damafalls Phase 2, Harare, in a maroon side bag.
None of the accused persons is a holder of a valid firearm certificate.
Meanwhile, Masanga is facing a separate charge of armed robbery where on October 9, around midnight, he and his accomplices Tapiwa Matope, and Wonder Matope already on remand and some still at large, armed themselves with unidentified small firearms, machetes, and a hammer and pounced on the complainant’s house in Dzivarasekwa Extension.
Upon arrival, they fired three shots in the air and gained entry into the house where they tied the hands of the complainant and his wife.
Online Reporter