admin
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
POLICE have launched a manhunt for 10 armed men who allegedly attacked three shopkeepers in Inyathi and went away with Z$15 cash, beer, cellphones and clothes.
The stolen clothes; a leather jacket, a shirt, a belt, a satchel as well as four cellphone handsets, cases of beer, amplifiers, flash drives, memory cards and some accessories have a combined value of US$2 336.
The suspects allegedly covered their faces with masks and armed themselves with pistols, iron bars and machetes before pouncing on some shops at Mavikaneni Business Centre in Finchan area last week on Wednesday.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese, said the suspects allegedly threatened to shoot their victims while assaulting them. She identified the victims as Ms Winnet Simango (28), Mr Goodhope Ndebele (18) as well as Ms Nompumelelo Tshuma (39).
“On 24 July, 10 unknown men who were wearing masks proceeded to Mavikaneni Business Centre where they forcibly opened Ms Winnet Simango’s door and gained entry. Two of them were armed with pistols while others had iron bars and machetes. The suspects demanded money from Ms Simango while threatening to assault her,” said Chief Insp Makonese.
She said the woman surrendered Z$15 which she had.
The suspects allegedly ransacked her room and took away a handset, jacket, shirt and belt.
They allegedly tied her hands and legs with shoe laces and left her.
They proceeded to Mr Ndebele’s room where they gained entry using the same modus operandi.
While inside, Chief Insp Makonese said, the suspected armed robbers allegedly threatened to shoot him and demanded keys to the bottle store.
They searched his room and bar then took a cellphone handset and cases of clear beer. They tied his legs and hands then left him in the room.
The suspects allegedly proceeded to Ms Tshuma’s place and assaulted her while demanding money and keys to a bar that she runs.After getting the keys, the suspects force-marched her to the bar where they tied her with shoelaces and gagged her mouth with a piece of cloth.
They took amplifiers, flash sticks and a handset.The suspects’ then force-marched her back to her room where they left her before disappearing into the night.
A report was made to the police last Thursday. Chief Insp Makonese appealed to members of the public who may have information about the suspects to assist police. She also advised business owners to secure their premises with adequate security systems. – @ncubeleon
Online Reporter