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Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter
The five men suspected of being the Hatfield gang responsible for an armed robbery that led to a killing appeared in Harare Magistrates Court yesterday on charges of murder, armed robbery, attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm and were remanded in custody to January 18.
Appearing with Lameck Kabara, Tongesai Katoma, Joseph John and Christopher Tafadzwa Charuma, Perseverance Mashoko Chihota told magistrate Mrs Yeukai Dzuda that he was wrongly arrested and was a businessman with interests at Warren Park 1 Shopping Centre in Harare and was never involved in the robbery.
Chihota also claimed that detectives took him from his residence in Warren Park to the National Sports Stadium where they allegedly tortured him.
“I don’t know whether there is a police station at the stadium,” said Chihota’s lawyer.
Mr Thomas Chanakira, appearing for the State, said on Thursday last week the five planned to rob Brenda Chimukonyo and Brian Chijaka, who own a number of clothing shops in Harare.
On the same day, Charuma, who is stationed at Air Force of Zimbabwe Manyame Airbase, was deployed to Glen Lorne to perform VIP guard duties and was given a service rifle ZA35496, which he allegedly then passed on to his workmate, Kabara, to use in the robbery.
On Christmas Eve the gang allegedly started monitoring the movements of Ms Chimukonyo and Mr Chijaka’s as they had closed their shops.
The court heard that Chihota dropped off Kabara and Joseph John near Mr Chijaka’s house along Kilwinning Road before he parked their getaway car at the intersection of Kilwinning Road and Alexandra Drive.
At around 9pm Ms Chimukonyo and Mr Chijaka closed their shop and went home, passengers in a car driven by Brendon Chimukonyo . Katoma, who was monitoring their movements, then phoned Kabara, who was armed with a rifle, telling him that the car was on its way.
When the car turned from Kilwinning Road into Alexandra Drive, Chihota called Kabara so that he would be seen by Ms Chimukonyo and Mr Chijaka as they were about to reach their gate walking towards them from the opposite direction and holding a sack.
When Kabara got closer to their car, which was moving slowly waiting for the gate to be opened, Kabara allegedly pulled out the service rifle from the sack, fired and hit the driver’s door.
Brendon Chimukonyo then accelerated and hit the gate before stopping near a wall while screaming for help and then jumped out of the car and rushed into the house.
The court heard that the gang fired several shots into the yard after which Mr Chijaka came out of the car and wrestled with Kabara, who shot him several times. Chihota allegedly jumped into Mr Chijaka’s car and drove outside the yard.
Elvis Chijaka, who was in the house, then came out to assist Brian Chijaka but was shot and killed.
The court heard that the gang then drove off and later dumped the car near the house and went away with an undisclosed amount of money.
After the robbery, Kabara allegedly returned the rifle to Charuma. Brian Chijaka sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital.
Online Reporter