Gang terrorises motorists

Court Reporter
POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested a man believed to be part of a gang that has been terrorising motorists and robbing them of their property.
The gang has been masquerading as police officers.Evans Chakaingesu (34) is facing two counts of robbery.

He was not asked to plead to the two counts and was remanded in custody to 9 September by Bulawayo magistrate Mr Takundwa Witness Mtetwa yesterday.

Chakaingesu, of 1069 Lusaka Lines, Highfield in Harare, was allegedly in the company of his accomplices, one of them identified as Tapiwa Chivunga, who are still at large.

Chakaingesu and his alleged accomplices were allegedly targeting motorists whose vehicles would have developed faults.
For the State, Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza told the court that on 3 July last year, Chakaingesu and his accomplices approached Mr Raymond Bekker who had parked his vehicle near Sky Yorks Service Station between 5th and 6th avenues in Bulawayo.

It is alleged that they produced police identity cards and introduced themselves as police officers.
The court was told that they demanded to search the vehicle and took from Mr Bekker’s vehicle a machete.

Chakaingesu and his accomplices told Mr Bekker that he was under arrest and shoved him into their vehicle, which had tinted windows.
They allegedly drove out of town along Leopold Takawira Avenue and allegedly robbed him of 18 000 rand, $50, Nokia and Blackberry handsets and drove away leaving him on the scene.

The court was told that Chakaingesu and accomplices were armed with a pistol.
Sometime last month, the gang allegedly approached another complainant whose vehicle had developed a fault at the 20km peg along the Bulawayo-Gwanda highway.

Using the same modus operandi, they allegedly robbed him of a laptop and its bag, $97 and 700 rand.
The court was told that the complainant, whose details were not given, tried to resist and Chakaingesu allegedly drew a knife from his pocket and threatened to stab him.

Chakaingesu allegedly used the knife to deflate the vehicle tyres before driving away.
From the two complainants, the gang allegedly got away with a total of 18 700 rand, $147 cash and $397 worth of property.
Only property worth $200 was recovered.