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Yeukai Karengezeka, Court Correspondent
The net has closed in on three suspected armed robbers who are allegedly part of the syndicate that was committing a spree of robberies in Harare as they appeared in court yesterday.
The trio’s arrest was after a police shoot out that led to the death of one of their accomplices, Raymond Mugabe.
The accused persons were also found in possession of over 1 000 rounds of ammunition.
Kenneth Chiputura , Jaison Munyama and Mike Chitsiko appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa charged with two counts of robbery.
They were advised to approach the High Court for bail and ordered to return to court on August 28 for routine remand.
The State alleges that on 31 May at around 10pm, the trio while in the company of the now late Mugabe and others who are still at large, put on face masks and armed themselves with a pistol and iron bars.
They entered into the complainant’s house (whose name was not stated in the court papers) through an open door and ordered him to lie down.
They tied his hands and assaulted him, demanding cash.
They ransacked the complainant’s house and ordered him to show them his safe, where they stole US$15 000, five wrist watches, a camera, three pistols, a Smith and Wesson revolver, 800 X 9mm live rounds, 50 X .44 magnum live rounds, 50 X .308 live rounds and 40 X .792 Mauser live rounds of ammunition.
They also stole various jewellery, 6 X 5 litres engine oil, 100 litres of paraffin, 9kg gas tank, 19kg gas tank, 15litres diesel and two boxes of mixed bottles of whisky.
They loaded their loot into the complainant’s white Isuzu double cab truck and drove away.
They later dumped the car at corner Harare Drive and Liberation Legacy Way (formerly Borrowdale Road) in Harare.
On the second count, the State alleged that on July 23, 2024 at around 7:40pm, the accused persons in the company of their accomplices armed with a pistol entered another complainant’s house through front door which was not locked, and confronted the occupants who were seated in the lounge.
They were putting on face masks and pointed a pistol at the complainants and took their cellphones.
They tied their hands using shoe laces and assaulted them, while demanding cash.
They ransacked the complainants’ house and stole a briefcase, 11 bottles of wine and cash amounting to US$1 100.
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