Gun-toting friends in court for robbery

TWO friends, who connived with accomplices still at large and robbed a taxi driver at gunpoint, yesterday appeared in court facing robbery charges.

Monalisa Mhlanga (21) of Emganwini and Fikile Ncube (26) of Pumula South were not asked to plead when they appeared before Western Commonage regional magistrate, Mrs Sibongile Marondedze. Mhlanga was remanded in custody to April 17 while Ncube is under police custody at a local hospital.

Prosecutor, Mr Milton Moyo, revealed that the robbery took place on March 2, at around 8 PM.

“The two accused and their accomplices who are still at large, planned to rob Mr Orchard Nyawo (37) of Cowdray Park,” said Mr Moyo.

Using Mhlanga’s phone, the suspects posed as customers and lured Mr Nyawo, an InDrive taxi driver, to pick them up using his Honda Fit. Upon his arrival, the suspects, armed with pistols, attacked Mr Nyawo. “They smashed the driver’s window, seized the car keys, demanded his valuables and tied him up before locking him in the boot of his vehicle,” Mr Moyo told the court.

The suspects drove the vehicle to a garage in Pumula South, intending to commit further crimes. However, their plan was foiled when they triggered an alarm at the garage. In panic, they abandoned the car and fled, leaving Mr Nyawo trapped in the boot.

He was later rescued and investigations led to the arrest of the two accused.