Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
FOUR suspects have appeared in court for allegedly conspiring to commit an armed robbery at a fuel station in Harare.
Denis Madondo (34), Tendai Zuze (32), Tafadzwa Tembo (23) and Blessing Mavhenyengwa, appeared before Harare regional magistrate, Mr Donald Ndirowei at the weekend facing charges of conspiracy to commit an armed robbery.
The magistrate advised the accused to apply for bail at the High Court.
Allegations are that in November, the four men hatched a plan to rob the DA Service Station Runiville Branch in Highlands.
Tembo, employed as a petrol attendant, reportedly provided critical information to his accomplices regarding cash movements between the service station’s branches.
As part of the plot, Mavhenyengwa is alleged to have supplied a pistol intended for use in the robbery.
On November 30, the suspects allegedly conducted surveillance at the DA Service Station Highlands branch and visited the intended victim’s residence in Belvedere for further reconnaissance.
The scheme was unravelled when police arrested Madondo and Zuze on December 4.
Upon their arrest, detectives recovered cell phones containing communication that detailed the planning and execution of the robbery.
On December 5, detectives arrested Tembo and Mavhenyengwa.
During the arrest, an FN Browning pistol with serial number 315178, loaded with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition, was recovered from Mavhenyengwa, along with a blowback TR 17 blank pistol.
Notably, none of the suspects holds a valid firearm certificate for the recovered weapons.
