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Boitumelo Makhurane, Court Reporter
Three of the six suspected armed robbers who were involved in a shootout with police in Bulawayo’s Fourwinds Suburb appeared in court yesterday and were further remanded in custody.
The suspects were caught by police while attempting to rob Mr Mike Shawn Querl (45) at his house in Fourwinds suburb. Two of the suspects were fatally shot at the scene while the third one died at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).
The deceased are Arnold Mpofu (39), Nomore Hove (39) both from Gweru and Thamsanqa Mpofu from Kezi.
Makhosi Brian Nkomo (31) of Mpopoma Suburb, Mthokozisi Moyo (37) of Plumtree appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Marygold Ndlovu facing several counts of armed robbery. The duo is being charged together with Nkosilathi Ncube (42) of Gwanda, who is admitted to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after he sustained injuries during the shoot out with police.
The trio was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to September 13. Ncube is represented by Mr Robert Ndlovu of R Ndlovu and Company, Moyo is represented by Jabulani Ndubiwa of Mashayamombe and Company, while Nkomo is represented by Bob Siansole of Dube, Mnguni, Dube legal practitioners.
When they appeared for their initial remand last week, it was revealed in court that Moyo and Nkomo committed other armed robberies in the city dating back to last year. Representing the State, Mr Mandla Ndlovu told the court that all the separate counts for the three suspects will be combined into one record.
In October last year, Nkomo is alleged to have teamed up with his accomplices who are already on remand for the same case and went to Mrs Betty Moyo’s house in Cowdray Park suburb armed with a pistol, axe and machete. They allegedly hit Mrs Moyo with the back of an axe on the head and she fell. They then punched her all over the body while demanding money. They allegedly stole cash and two cellphones with a combined value of R48 000.
Mr Ndlovu said Nkomo teamed up with seven others who are still at large and intercepted a Romicon Security vehicle in Parklands suburb.
“On April 27 this year, the company’s vehicle was collecting cash at Choppies Supermarket in Parklands suburb.
Armed with pistols, the accused persons fired shots to threaten the security guards and disarmed them. They offloaded cash trunks from the security company vehicle and disappeared from the scene in two cars,” he said.
The total value of the stolen property was $194 287, US$11 315 and R35 595, which was all not recovered.
Mr Ndlovu said: “On June 14, 2021, they went to Jasbro in Belmont. They got keys from the security guard and once inside they disabled the CCTV. While ransacking the offices they were disturbed by security guards. Moyo fired at one of the guards, Daniel Mudanguranwa and grazed him on the head with a bullet”. On July 31, and at number 15 Connolly, Kingsdale suburb, Moyo and an accomplice who is still at large jumped over a precast wall and allegedly threatened the garden boy and the builder with a pistol.
“The complainant then came out of his house and saw the accused persons. They demanded money and he resisted. Moyo shot him twice in the right leg and dragged him to the house where they stole R5 000 and his Toyota vehicle,” said Mr Ndlovu. @Boity104
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