Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku
A ROMANTIC night turned into a blood-curdling nightmare for a Bulawayo man and his female companion after a gun-toting thug and his partners stormed their parked car in the bush and unleashed terror like a scene straight from a gangster movie!
Khumbulani Vincent Gama (21) appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza on Monday facing charges of armed robbery and attempted murder, after allegedly leading a brutal attack on Blessing Sibanda (37) and his lady friend Trinity Moyo (26).
The unsuspecting pair had parked along the Bulawayo-Nyamandlovu Road, enjoying the evening while seated in the boot of a twin-cab vehicle. But the peace was shattered by three masked robbers, armed and ruthless.
The court heard that Khumbulani and his two accomplices, who are still on the run, fired warning shots into the air before pouncing on the couple.
“They struck Blessing with a pistol multiple times before turning to Trinity. She was stabbed in the breast and buttocks while they demanded money,” said the prosecutor, Dominic Moyo.
The ordeal escalated when the victims were dragged from the vehicle, tied to a tree with electrical cables and jacket strings, and left helpless in the darkness.
The gang rummaged through the car, made off with three cellphones, US$1 000 cash, a pair of shoes, and the vehicle itself, disappearing into the night.
Sibanda miraculously managed to untie himself and Trinity and rushed to report the horror at the nearest police station. An urgent manhunt was launched.
Later that night, the stolen car broke down near Figtree as the robbers attempted to pick up a girlfriend. Desperate and stranded, they blocked the road with stones and began waving down vehicles to commit more robberies.
But fate had other plans.
“They flagged down an unmarked police homicide car. Realising their mistake, they bolted, but detectives gave chase and caught Khumbulani,” the court heard.
Khumbulani pleaded not guilty but was remanded in custody until 19 May 2025.
The hunt is still on for the remaining suspects.
Bush romance turned bloodshed!
Catch every twist of this wild crime tale — only in B-Metro!
