Chronicle Editor
Tendai Rupapa: Senior Court Reporter
A cap gave away three suspected armed robbers when one of the criminals was spotted wearing the headgear the trio had stolen together with other valuables. Revai Majuta, Charles Muzavazi and Kudzanai Chikudza reportedly blocked roads using boulders at night and pounced on a couple it stopped, robbing it of valuables.
They appeared before magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe last Friday charged with robbery and were remanded in custody to November 30. The suspects were advised to seek bail at the High Court as their offences were considered serious.
Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on October 26 at around 9pm, Muchemwa was driving his vehicle – a Subaru Legacy – in the company of his wife along a road in Sunningdale 3 when they suddenly saw two boulders in the middle of the road.
Muchemwa stopped the vehicle and as he was about to reverse, he was hit with a stone in the face. Majuta, Muzavazi and Chikudza emerged from the bush armed with a pistol and knives. They allegedly threatened to stab Muchemwa and his wife before ordering the couple to comply with their orders.
The criminals forced Muchemwa and his wife to occupy the back seat. Chikudza drove the couple’s car to a nearby bushy area where the criminals demanded money and other valuables from the couple.
They took Muchemwa’s mobile phone and stripped him, taking all his clothes including a baseball cap. They also took his wristwatch, passport, national identity card and driver’s licence, it is alleged.
The court also heard that the criminals stripped Muchemwa’s wife and took her clothes and valuables which included a gold necklace and a wristwatch.
The suspects then tied the couple’s hands and legs with a rope. They drove away in Muchemwa’s vehicle and left the couple at the crime scene. Muchemwa later managed to untie himself and rushed to ZRP Braeside where he filed a report.
On November 2, the vehicle was recovered abandoned in Kuwadzana. It had been stripped. Two weeks later, Muchemwa spotted Majuta in Harare wearing his cap. Muchemwa confronted him and Majuta indicated that he had bought the cap from Muzavazi.
He apprehended him and took him to the police. Majuta then led the police to Muzavazi who then implicated Chikudza. Muchemwa positively identified Muzavazi.
Online Reporter