Online Reporter
Lesley Chikudo,[email protected]
TWO Bulawayo women who teamed up with accomplices and robbed a taxi driver of his car, a Honda Fit at gunpoint before tying him up and locking him in the boot of his car on Monday appeared in court facing robbery charges.
Monalisa Mhlanga (21) of Emganwini suburb and Fikile Ncube (26) of Pumula South suburb were not asked to plead when they appeared before Western Commonage regional magistrate Mrs Sibongile Marondedze.
They were remanded in custody to March 24.
The prosecutor, Mr Milton Moyo, said the robbery occurred on 2 March around 8 PM and the accused’s acoomplices are still at large.
“The two accused persons, along with their accomplices who are still at large, hatched a plan to rob Mr Orchard Nyawo (37) of Cowdray Park suburb,” said Mr Moyo.
Using Mhlanga’s cellphone, the suspects allegedly posed as genuine customers and lured Mr Nyawo, an InDrive taxi operator, to pick them up at Khami Road near Lion of Judah Church in Pumula South.
Upon his arrival, the suspects, who were armed with pistols attacked him.
“They smashed the driver’s window, pulled the key from the ignition and got into the vehicle. They then demanded Mr Nyawo’s valuables, took his wallet, and tied him with a rope before forcing him into the boot of his car,” said Mr Moyo.
The suspects then drove the Honda Fit to a garage in Pumula South along Khami Road, allegedly intending to commit further crimes.
However, their plans were thwarted when they triggered an alarm system at the garage. Panicking, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled leaving Mr Nyawo still locked in the boot.
Mr Nyawo was later rescued and investigations led to the arrest of the two accused.
