Police smash robbery syndicate

POLICE in Bulawayo smashed an armed robbery syndicate that has been causing fear and havoc in the city.
They arrested eight suspects who have been involved in 10 different robbery cases and stole items with a total value surpassing US$10 000, in addition to various amounts of cash.

The suspects were taken into custody last Thursday and made their first court appearance yesterday.
Elvis Charakupa (40) of Mpopoma and an alleged illegal foreign currency dealer, Khulumani Moyo (51) from Montrose suburb, who is also an alleged illegal foreign currency dealer, Mavrick Dube (32) of Imbizo Barracks, Mongameli Moyo (27) from Nkunzi village in Tsholotsho, Nkosilomusa Dube (27) from Dumisa village, Qhawe Mabhena (43) from Dulivhadzimu suburb in Beitbridge, Vumani Msipa (31) from Tungura village, and Conilias Chigara (24) from Mberengwa appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate, Mr Joseph Mabeza, facing robbery charges and illegal possession of a firearm.

They were not asked to plead and were all remanded in custody to December 9. The magistrate advised them to apply for bail at the High Court.

They allegedly committed the offences between February and this month.
They were represented by Mr Gary Sengweni of Sengweni Legal Practice, while Ms Siphiwe Mhlanga prosecuted.
According to court records, the gang mostly targeted service stations and robbed motorists.

The court heard that on February 19 at around 8pm, three of the suspects approached a security guard at a fuel station in Mpopoma suburb in Bulawayo and fired three shots at him leaving him seriously injured.

“The victim was rushed to ZRP Western Commonage and later referred to Mpilo Hospital,” said Ms Mhlanga.

On April 22, they went to Kelvin North industrial area in Bulawayo armed with a pistol and knives. They raided a service station and got away with US$900 and a cellphone after firing a warning shot and threatening fuel attendants.

The court heard that on November 10, a group of six masked robbers stormed a Kelvin North service station at 8pm, fired shots into the air, ordered the staff to lie down and stole US$600 and a DVR, after disabling the CCtv system.
One victim sustained a gunshot wound.

Five days later, the robbers broke into a house in Bradfield, stole a safe containing passports, a cell phone and US$50.
On November 20, information from the public led to the arrest of a member of the gang, Charakupa, who then identified his accomplices.

After their arrest, police recovered a blue Nissan Note, a silver Toyota Corolla and an unregistered firearm with a loaded magazine.

The suspects confessed to several crimes, including armed robberies in Matabeleland South.
There has been an increase in armed robbery cases in the country of late. Last month, robbers pounced on a bank in Bulawayo and vanished with a heist of US$4 million, in what is arguably the country’s biggest robbery.