Chronicle EditorBongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
POPULAR Highlanders Football Club fan and musician Thulani “Thuts” Dube says he is lucky to be alive after armed robbers shot him during a foiled robbery in the early hours of Wednesday.
Mr Dube, who runs Harsh Touch Entertainment, was shot when he and other neighbours attended to a distress call around 2.45AM at Sai Mart Supermarket, in Lobengula West, where the robbers had tied up guards.
He suffered a deep graze on the left side of his back just above the kidney area. Narrating his ordeal, Mr Dube said he and his neighbours went to the scene to check and found the robbers there.
“There were thieves at the shops and I was phoned by one of the people and rushed there to investigate, with my sibling and another guy.
“When we got there, we heard noises in the grass, and we started throwing stones, but it was dogs. I then shouted ‘Sela Sela’ but the thieves were robbing Sai Mart Supermarket at Mountain View.
They advanced towards us and I saw an opportunity to catch them. But the way they were advancing showed that they were in no nonsense mood,” said Mr Dube. He said he only realised that he was shot after some time.
“When I noticed that one of them was carrying a gun, I turned and ran towards Konron Shops heading to Magwegwe Police station and that’s when I heard gun shots.
I didn’t realise that I was bleeding because they shot three or four times, while I was running away. When I got to Konron, I noticed I was bleeding and that’s when I saw that I had been shot.
“It was only after some metres that I felt as if I was bleeding, and when I touched my left side, I felt the wound. I was very lucky that I wasn’t badly injured, it’s only by the Grace of God that I’m alive.
I went to the police and to the hospital where I was treated and discharged. This is now serious. The crime is too much, something needs to be done,” said Mr Dube. He said the robbers were seven, but he was confronted by two of them.
“I only saw two people who attacked me who were wearing blue work suits, but the guards who were tied up said they saw seven people. I hope the police catch these people,” said Mr Dube.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident saying investigations were in progress. Asst Comm Nyathi said the armed robbers struck Sai Mart Supermarket and Value Gas.
“We are investigating an incident where seven suspects allegedly attacked three complainants who include a guard and also Thulani Dube, a well-known artiste as they tried to rob Sai Mart Supermarket in Lobengula West,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
“The guard was on duty then another guard was at Value Gas shop, and around 1AM, seven suspects just approached the guard, and produced some pistol and attacked him.
They tied his hands using a wire and his legs using a belt and placed him in a building which is under construction just adjacent to the supermarket.
“They took away US$53 from the guard and then proceeded to the gas shop and attacked the guard there, tied his hands and legs with shoe laces and put him in the room where they had put the first guard.”
Asst Comm Nyathi said the armed robbers broke into Sai Mart Supermarket and as they were doing so, they were overheard by another guard who raised alarm and phoned Thulani Dube.
“That’s when people came trying to assist, they threw stones at the suspects. The suspects then came out of the supermarket, fired some shots and then fled in different directions. It is alleged that one of the bullets hit Thulani Dube. It is not yet clear how many shots were fired,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He said police have declared war on armed robbers as evidenced by the shootout that occurred in Beitbridge on Tuesday, where one suspect was shot dead.
“Robbers will be dealt with decisively. on Tuesday, we had a shootout with robbers in Beitbridge where one of them died and we made some arrests and we are looking for others. Definitely the war on robbers is on and our crack teams are on the ground,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He urged business people and individuals not to keep large sums of money at home or at the business premises saying some robberies resulted from inside information.
“We want also to applaud the security guards for their alertness and this assisted in preventing the robbery.
“Also, we urge members of the public to phone police and be careful when attending to such calls,” said Asst Comm Nyathi. — Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi
Online Reporter