Blessing Chizhande
Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
An armed robbery gang that allegedly terrorised Beitbridge for five months, targeting service stations, lodges, a church, a bar and private homes, has appeared before the Beitbridge Regional Court.
The six accused, Tapiwa Trymore Moyo (39) of Musina, South Africa, Philmon Bernard Dambwara (34) of no fixed abode, Jimson Chikozho (25), Nyasha Mupariya (45), Stanley Shumba (22) of Lancefield, Musina, and Clayton Dube (36), both of Dulivhadzimu, were brought before Regional Magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa on Thursday.
District Public Prosecutor, Mr Willbrought Muleya, led the State evidence, with the gang facing a combined 20 counts of robbery as defined in Section 126(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 09:23 and one count of attempted robbery.
According to the State allegations, the gang’s reign of terror started on April 15 this year at a house at Lutumba Growth Point, where Moyo and Dambwara, armed with a pistol, jumped over a durawall and tried to force open a garage door while shouting, “Vhura door we need cash, or we will kill you.”
The complainant fired two shots from his licensed Sarsilmaz pistol, injuring one of the accused, who fled, leaving a trail of blood.
A day later, on April 16, the same duo allegedly struck at Redan Petroleum Service Station at around 8:50 pm, where they went armed with pistols and a machete.
They threatened to kill three workers and forced them to lie face down, and robbed them of US$110, R300 and a Redmi 14C, US$58, R600 and a Samsung Galaxy A205, and R180 and a ZTE cell phone, respectively, plus an HP laptop.
On April 21, they allegedly hit Mother’s Lodge at 4 am and used pepper spray on the manager and a security guard before stealing R1 250, an iPhone 13 and a Huawei phone, before locking their victims in the reception and stealing keys to a Mazda Bongo vehicle.
The court further heard that their most brazen attack was on May 20 at Cossy Lodge at 2:45 am, where five complainants were allegedly robbed in their rooms and marched to reception at gunpoint.
Property stolen includes US$90 and Samsung A53, R750 and iPhone 11, R7 000 and Huawei Honor 9C, US$1 050, and US$250, R550 and a Samsung S22 Ultra.
The State further alleged that the gang grew to six members in September this year and that on September 20 at Flint Bar, Dulivhadzimu Rank, they allegedly robbed a bar lady of R3 900, US$20, and a Samsung A14, and another man of R20 and an Oppo A75.
The following day, they allegedly targeted Chagonda Surgery, robbing two nurses of R1 300 and cellphones, including a Huawei P30 Lite.
Further counts include robberies at ZAOGA Church Mashavire on April 25, where they attacked the local pastor and two other people, stealing US$800, R3 000, laptops and cellphones.
They also attacked another person in Acacia Drive and stole US$30 and a power bank.
The State said the gang was arrested on September 27 after detectives from CID Beitbridge received a tip-off that they were sleeping outside a house in the Dulivhadzimu suburb.
Searches by the police led to the recovery of two pistols, a machete, an Okapi knife and several cellphones. The firearms have been sent for ballistics examination.
So far, some complainants have positively identified the accused in identification parades held on September 30, and some stolen cellphones, including Samsung A14, Oppo A75, and Huawei P30 Lite, were recovered and identified.
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Online Reporter