Motorist beaten, robbed while sleeping in his broken-down vehicle

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau

A 42-year-old Gweru motorist lost US$420 in cash, along with his identification documents, after three men ambushed him when his vehicle broke down at Wildbeast Farm.

Midlands Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the incident, which occurred on Monday around 11pm.

“The driver’s motor vehicle, a Mazda B1600, broke down on the farm. He attempted to fix the problem but was unsuccessful and decided to sleep in the car,” Insp. Mahoko said.

He added that around 11pm, three men approached the vehicle and opened the passenger door, which was unlocked. “They pulled the driver out of the car and started beating him with a wooden stick while another searched the vehicle. They took US$420, national identity documents, and bank cards before fleeing into the darkness,” he said.

The incident was reported to the police, and investigations are ongoing.