Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
Two more suspects who allegedly robbed businessman Wicknel Chivayo’s in-laws at Alpha Omega farm in Marondera appeared in court yesterday and formally placed on remand.
Peter Maramba Vhiya and Takudzwa Maisvoreva appeared before Harare regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa.
The court heard that on March 18, the duo and their accomplices, who are at large, connived to rob the Muteke Farm. They went to farm at around 1am.
They were armed with three rifles, two pistols, two bolt cutters, machetes and iron bars.
Upon their arrival, they confronted Petros Mabunhu, the security guard employed by DM security.
They grabbed and assaulted him with iron bars all over his body demanding to know the whereabouts of the other guards on duty.
They tied his hands from behind and legs with cable tiers.
They forced him into the yard where they confronted Zex Mutasa Rusike, who is employed at the farm as the Internal security guard, and they disarmed him of his CBC shotgun serial number 1035468 which had no rounds.
They tied his hands from behind and forced him to the front guardroom.
They also confronted Medic Zhakata, who is also employed by DM security as a guard and struck him several times on the head with iron bars before the tied him up.
Two of the security guards were left under the guard of two armed robbers and the rest were forced to go to the main house.
The armed robbers cut the key on the burglar screen with a bolt cutter, forced open the main door and entered the house.
While inside, they forced open the interior kitchen door and force marched the guard to Gerald Muteke’s bedroom where they met him in the corridor and demanded for money.
Fearing for his life, he surrendered cash US $18 000, a Sarsilmaz pistol serial numbers T1102-22BV59186 loaded with eight rounds and a Samsung S23.
The robbers then demanded to be shown the safe and on their way, they passed through Vimbai Muteke’s bedroom where they demanded cash and safe keys and she surrendered cash US$1 100, a chub safe key and a Samsung galaxy A35 without a simcard.
They took her to the main bedroom where she opened the safe and surrendered cash US$55 000.
Whist the accused persons were still in the bedroom, Eiphas Maruta, who was armed with a 303 rifle loaded with 4 rounds, got information of the robbery and advanced towards the house and fired two shots towards the robbers, who retaliated with three shots before fleeing from the scene.
In another count it is alleged that the gang robbed Cossam Siminya.
They broke into Siminya’s place of residence armed with pistols, sjamboks, iron bars and a hammer.
When they got into the house, Siminya and his wife Precious Makore, were asleep in their bedroom but were awakened by noise of their barking dogs.
Makore went to the toilet to investigate but did not see anything.
On her way back to the bedroom, she heard the robbers banging on the back door.
She alerted her husband and they both shouted for help to their neighbours.
As the robbers continued banging,
Makore went out of the house through the front door, opened the small gate and went to a neighbour’s house to seek help.
Her husband also followed and hid underneath a Toyota Fortuner that was parked in front of the house.
The robbers managed to break in and they confronted Panashe Zhuwawo who was sleeping in the spare bedroom demanding for cash and other valuables.
One of the robbers took an itel cell phone with an Econet line, which was on the charger.
The couple’s neighbours who came to render assistance retreated after one of the robbers fired two shots into the air ordering them to back off.
Meanwhile, the robbers confronted Jane Manokore in her room demanding cash and other valuables.
They ransacked the room and took a 49-inch Samsung television, an itel power bank, itel S23 cell phone with an Econet line and cash US$700 from her wallet.
They also went into Siminya’s bedroom, ransacked it and took cash US$10 000 from the wardrobe, an iPhone 14 Pro cell phone with Econet and Netone lines, a Teno Spark 8 cell phone, a box of cooking oil, a box of Boom washing powder, a case of brown sugar and a small tin with cash US$500 realized from the tuck shop sales.
They went to the lounge and took a 55-inch Samsung TV.
The robbers went to the tuck shop where they confronted Bosco Chidukudze, who severely assaulted and stole his phone.
