dyton mupawaenda
Prosper Dembedza-Herald Correspondent
A Lomagundi College schoolboy has appeared in court on allegations of stealing his father’s pistol and using it to rob two cellphone dealers of their phones.
He was released into the custody of his guardian.
It is the State’s case that on August 22 this year at around 12.30pm the boy’s father asked his son to load a pressure washer into his Toyota Hilux so that he could drive to his farm.
The court heard that while loading it, the boy noticed a brown leather bag containing his father’s revolver, an Astra Magnum, Calibre 357, serial number R191406 loaded with six live rounds of ammunition, at the back of the drivers’ seat.
It is alleged that the pupil stole the firearm and immediately handed it over to an outstanding accused person who had knowledge that the firearm had been stolen and they intended to use it in a robbery case.
The father proceeded to his farm in Ruwa, outside Harare and there realised that his firearm was missing and he made a report at ZRP Epworth.
The court heard that 90 minutes after stealing the firearm, at around 2pm, the boy and his accomplices who are still at large, lured Mr Tinashe Albert Bhamu using Instagram messages pretending to be a customer intending to buycell phones for his kids.
Mr Bhamu allegedly informed his workmate Mr Howard Mudzamiri of the intended business transaction and the cellphones the gang intended to purchase. The gang supplied their location so that the cell phones could be delivered to their house.
Mr Bhamu and Mr Mudzamiri then drove their unregistered Honda Fit to a Braeside address in Harare with the requested cellphones.
It is the State’s case that upon arrival, one of the gang approached the two with the stolen revolver, fired a shot into the air and demanded the cellphones.
But the two sellers instead drove off at a very high speed towards Braeside shopping centre. The gun carrier fired another shot which hit Mr Bhamu’s left arm and upper-abdomen, he lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree and the motor vehicle stopped.
The gang stole phones and ran away on foot.
Members of the public gave chase along Edwards Road in Braeside. When they were near Nettleton Primary School, they met Milscent Dhlakama who was on her way from school.
The court heard that one of the gang produced a second firearm, a black pistol, pointed it at the girl and shouted at members of the public who were in hot pursuit that he was going to shoot her if anyone got closer to him.
When the crowd saw him point the pistol, they then stopped at a distant.
It is alleged that the pistol holder fired a shot into the air and ran away, leaving his orange work suit on a lawn.
A report was made at ZRP Braeside and the orange work suit was recovered. On October 10, detectives from CID Homicide Harare carried out investigations leading to the arrest of the schoolboy and he led to the recovery of one of the stolen cell phones and his father’s revolver.
Online Reporter