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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A suspected robber who stole gold worth US$5 000 and other valuables from a goldminer has appeared in court.
Nyasha Rusike (38) appeared before Harare Magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa charged with robbery.
He was advised to approach the High Court for bail. He will return to court on December 3.
The complainant is Mr Elias Manenji, a miner based in Mberengwa.
The State said on October 28, the complainant approached Rusike looking for potential gold buyers.
Rusike said he knew some gold buyers in Harare.
Mr Manenji and his friend Mr Hillary Batisai drove from Masvingo to Harare and met Rusike.
The court heard Rusike was in the company of his accomplice only known as George and received 33 grammes of gold from the two. They agreed on a price of US$120 per gram.
However, Rusike and George did not give the complainant any payment for the gold after indicating that their buyer only dealt with transactions involving more than 100 grammes of gold.
Mr Manenji and his friend returned to Masvingo to get more gold, leaving the 33 grammes with Rusike.
On November 4, Mr Manenji and Mr Batsai returned to Harare with 63 grammes of gold.
They met Rusike and informed him that they had come to finalise their deal. George indicated that it was late and that they would conclude the transaction the following morning.
On November 5 at around 2pm, Mr Manenji, his friend and Rusike proceeded to Hellensview Shopping Centre where they were supposed to meet George’s driver.
They met and the driver demanded to see the gold but Rusike insisted that they should go to a secluded place.
They then proceeded to a secluded place and the driver parked the vehicle.
Mr Batisai handed over the 63 grammes of gold to Rusike who in turn handed it over to the driver. While there, two men approached from the front and three men from the back of the vehicle.
All the five men got inside the motor vehicle, one of them withdrew a black pistol and pointed it at Mr Manenji and Mr Batisai while demanding their valuables.
Mr Manenji was searched and the men took his two cellphones and US$120. Mr Batisai also lost his phone and a small gold scale.
The gang then drove off and dumped Mr Manenji and Mr Batisai. The total value stolen was US$5 649 and nothing was recovered.
Online Reporter