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The forex dealers, who were joined by members of the public, then gave the man a thorough beating.
The moneychangers, who operate near a Chicken Inn outlet opposite Tredgold Building, said the alleged robber approached one of them and produced a gun.
They said when the female money changer saw the pistol, she was paralysed with fear and the man took the chance to snatch wads of notes that amounted to R10 000 from her.
On realising that their colleague had been robbed, other forex dealers screamed and whistled. They then gave chase to the heavily built man and were later joined by members of the public.
“It was business as usual and all of a sudden we heard one of our colleagues screaming. Within a moment, the gun-wielding robber had jumped across the road but could not escape as people chased after him. At every street that he passed vendors abandoned their wares and shoppers stopped their business and joined the chase,” said one of the forex dealers.
“He ran along Main Street and turned along 5th Avenue down to Fort Street. He was running very fast, clutching the cash with his left hand and the gun with the other. By then a sizeable mob was baying for his blood. He ran towards Lobengula Street near Lion Stores and turned right.”
The witnesses said the robber ran across 3rd Avenue and almost got hit by a taxi whose driver tried to stop him.
“A taxi driver tried to stop him but he pointed the gun at him. Fearing for his life, the driver drove off at high speed. The momentary stoppage allowed his pursuers to close the gap and a young man caught him,” said another witness.
“At that time the angry mob vented its anger on him as it started beating him with fists. Others kicked him and some hit him with any object they could lay their hands on. Had it not been for the police who dispersed the crowd, he could have died on the spot. All the money was recovered.”
When a Chronicle news crew arrived at the scene about 20 minutes later, people were still standing on the road discussing the incident.
The police had taken the man to Bulawayo Central Police Station.
The illegal foreign currency dealers said they were now living in fear that robbers would kill them. They said they suspected that the man was part of a gang that robbed their colleague last week.
“The police should be on the lookout for these robbers. Our lives are at risk now yet we are trying to make a living for our families like anyone. This is not the first time we are seeing this. Last week, one of our colleagues was robbed of $600 at gunpoint but the culprit escaped,” said a dealer.
“I think this guy was not alone because he wanted to run towards the centre parking between Tredgold Building and Chicken Inn where a BMW car with South African number plates was parked. He was slow to react and was blocked by people. At that moment that vehicle also disappeared,” said one of the dealers.
Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokes-person Assistant Inspector Bekimpilo Ndlovu could neither confirm nor deny the incident.
“At the moment I am in Nkenyane and the information has not reached me. I cannot therefore confirm nor deny. I still need to get to the office,” he said.
Online Reporter