Armed robber stabs self as victim fights back

Senior Court Reporter

A suspected armed robber was hospitalised after he stabbed himself in the stomach on Monday night when his intended victim fought back.

Talent Jeke was then arrested in the car he and two friends had hijacked and which they crashed in Highfield, Harare, when their third victim turned on them. 

Jeke was immobilised with his injuries.

His friends, only identified as Tinashe and Farai, with whom he was committing a spate of robberies on Monday night, bolted from the scene, leaving him helpless.

Yesterday, Harare regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje remanded Jeke from his hospital bed on charges of robbery of a motor vehicle and two counts of armed robbery to February 27.

The State alleges that at around 9pm on Monday, Jeke teamed up with Tinashe and Farai, and hired Francis Dick to take them from Harare city centre to Ardbennie near Zebra Kiss bus garage. 

Mr Dick charged them US$15.

But on arrival in Ardbennie, Jeke and his gang manhandled Dick and hit his head with a brick. 

They stole his wallet containing US$32, identification card, bank cards, an Itel 518 Pro, a pair of tennis shoes, an umbrella, a red bag and later dumped him in Houghton Park.

Now with Mr Dick’s car, a black Toyota Sienta, they drove to the corner of Simon Mazorodze Road and Remembrance Drive in Mbare where they offered Nigel Mutekairi transport pretending to be travelling to Budiriro along Willowvale Road.

But when they reached the Highfield turn-off they turned into Main Street towards Machipisa, and one of the robbers produced a knife, pointed it at Mutekairi’s chest and demanded his belongings. 

Jeke allegedly searched him and took a P37 cellphone, US$2, $200 satchel and a black jacket before they dumped him.

The trio then allegedly drove their stolen car to Total Service Station along Simon Mazorodze Road where they picked up Ober Chikuwa saying they were plying the Budiriro route.

They followed the same routine driving along Willowvale Road and at the Highfield turn-off they turned into Main Street towards Machipisa.

 They once again produced a knife and demanded Mr Chikuwa surrender all he had. 

But Mr Chikuwa resisted, resulting in a scuffle.

The car crashed into a pile of litter and Mr Chikuwa took advantage and also took to his heels to get help and call the police.