CAG bus robbers in court

Senior Court Reporter
TWO suspects linked to the robbery of a Zambia-bound CAG bus along the Harare-Chirundu highway yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court.

Morazhi Chapota and Edison Murambidzi, both aged 30 and from Mbare, Harare, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Tafadzwa Miti charged with armed robbery and were advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Chapota and Murambidzi are already in custody on a separate matter involving illegal possession of a firearm.

Allegations against the two are that they teamed up with four other suspects, who are still at large, and boarded the CAG bus (AFG461) on its way to Zambia.

The six pretended to be genuine passengers.

It is alleged that during the course of the journey, at the 325km peg along the Harare-Chirundu highway, they drew a Webley and Scott revolver, and threatened the 27 passengers on board.

One of the suspects fired a shot at the front of the bus before they started assaulting people using small iron rods.

They also allegedly ordered them to surrender their valuables and went away with goods and valuables worth US$20 610, although US$12 500 of the items have now been recovered.

Chapota and Murambidzi are expected back in court on May 13.