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with robbers believed to be working with prostitutes to lure their victims.
In an interview with Chronicle yesterday, the deputy Bulawayo provincial spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Bekimpilo Ndlovu, said the upsurge in the robbery cases in the Central Business District (CBD) was worrying.
“We are disturbed by the robberies that are occurring in the CBD. Most of the victims are men who drink in the city centre during the night and hire prostitutes for sexual services. We have realised that the prostitutes are working hand in hand with robbers who later attack these men and rob them of their money and other valuables,” said Asst Insp Ndlovu.
“Our analysis suggests that there could be connivance between criminals and the prostitutes.”
Asst Insp Ndlovu warned members of the public, especially men to desist from hiring commercial sex workers, saying they risked being attacked and robbed.
“While prostitution is a crime, there are some individuals who go into the city centre to work with prostitutes to promote crime in the city centre. I would like to warn members of the public, especially men who hire prostitutes during the night to desist from doing so as it is dangerous.
“The robbery cases that have been recorded lately show that some of the men would be in the company of women and when the men are attacked the women are spared and later disappear, which is not common in robbery cases,” he said.
Asst Insp Ndlovu said the police had increased patrols during the night to curb the robberies.
He commended members of the public for their co-operation and support in bringing some of the culprits to book.
“We are on the ground and we have increased patrols during the night to reduce the number of robbery cases in the city.
“I would like to thank members of the public who tipped the police in some of the robbery cases, leading to the arrest of some of the suspected robbers,” said Asst Insp Ndlovu.
Meanwhile, two men suspected to be part of the syndicate appeared in court for fatally stabbing a 49-year-old man in the city centre on Saturday.
The man, who was coming from a beer drink at a hotel along Lobengula Street, was stabbed after the gang demanded money from him.
The pair, Blessed Ngwenya (21), of House Number 33699 Entumbane and Desire Ncube (20), of House Number 1680 Emakhandeni yesterday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Takunda Witness Mtetwa.
They were not formally charged with murder and were remanded in custody to 13 December and advised to apply to the High Court for bail.
The pair, which had their warned and cautioned statements confirmed, complained that detectives assaulted them and Mr Mtetwa ordered the prosecutor, Mr Malvern Nzombe to investigate the assault allegations.
The court heard that on Saturday at about 11.30 pm, Mr Elton Moyo and his friend, Mr Papha Ndlovu were coming from Manor Hotel.
When they got opposite TM Supermarket along Lobengula Street, they came across Ngwenya and Ncube, who were going in the opposite direction.
Ncube allegedly bumped into Mr Moyo. The pair started insulting Mr Moyo and Mr Ndlovu.
They followed Mr Moyo and Mr Ndlovu and when they caught up with them, Ngwenya grabbed Mr Ndlovu by the arm while Ncube held Mr Moyo by his clothes.
The State alleges that Ngwenya and Ncube started demanding money from Mr Moyo and Mr Ndlovu threatening to stab them.
Mr Ndlovu managed to break free from Ngwenya’s grip and ran away.
The State alleges that Ngwenya went and held Mr Moyo while Ncube removed a knife from his trouser pocket and allegedly stabbed Mr Moyo on the left side of the chest and on the left buttock.
They ran away when they saw a security guard who was guarding nearby premises approaching.
Ncube allegedly told a friend in the suburb where he stays that he had stabbed someone in the city centre the previous night.
Online Reporter