adminZvikomborero Parafini
A NOTORIOUS robber yesterday appeared in court facing three counts of robbing an 80-year-old man and his wife of jewellery worth US$2 000.
Trust Saidi (34) was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Stanford Mambanje.
The court heard that on February 20, Saidi and his accomplices, still at large, broke into 80-year-old Francis Podmore’s house.
The gang manhandled the couple and threatened to shoot them with a revolver if they refused to hand over their valuables.
They allegedly ransacked the house and stole an HP laptop, a cellphone and a golf wedding band, all valued at US$2 000, and fled from the scene.
Nothing was recovered.
The court heard that, in another count, Saidi and his accomplices broke into Fungai Chisandure’s home in Ruwa.
They allegedly found him cleaning second hand shoes for resale, at Market Square.
They introduced themselves as cops and produced a revolver while demanding valuables.
They took US$3 170 and two cellphones.
The gang demanded Chisandure’s car keys and got away with his vehicle.
They were chased by a mob, which had gathered, and they fired one shot into the air.
The vehicle was dumped a few kilometres from the house, where it was recovered.
In the third count, it is alleged that they went to Budiriro 5 shops, where they produced a revolver, threatened the security guards and stole clothes worth US$13 000.
Lancelot Mutsokoti appeared for the State.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter