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Victor Maphosa
Mashonaland East Bureau
THREE artisanal miners under Chief Chinamhora were recently attacked and robbed of cash and valuables by robbers, with one miner left seriously injured after being assaulted all over his body.
In all three attacks, the assailants would break the doors of their targets’ houses and rob them after threatening to assault them with crow bars and knives.
At one house, the robbers were shot at and one of them was injured. He was whisked away in a Toyota Wish vehicle with no plates.
Mashonaland East Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Simon Chazovachiyi said: “Police can confirm a robbery case which occurred in Chinamhora on July 3, 2021 around 9pm.
“Circumstances suggest that Spencer Sande (38) of Marufu Village, Chief Chinamhora, Domboshava, who is reportedly in the mining business was asleep in his bedroom with his wife when four unknown male suspects allegedly broke into the house using an unknown object.
“While inside, the accused persons who were armed with knives, crow bars and machetes demanded cash and gold from Spencer and they reportedly threatened to assault him. He then surrendered US$1 530.”
The robbers demanded more money, while assaulting him with a crow bar, eventually leaving with the cash, three cellphones, and 8GB memory stick, a 1GB memory card and clothes.
Mr Sande then phoned his brother, Stephen Sande (33) ,who came to the scene from his house, which is a few meters away.
Insp Chazovachiyi said on arrival, Stephen Sande saw an unregistered black Toyota Wish vehicle close to the yard.
“He walked towards the back of his house and noticed that the suspects were following him. He took the direction of his garage where he met one of the suspects who threatened to shoot him.
“Stephen, who was armed with his pistol reportedly fired a warning shot in the air, but the suspect kept on threatening him. Stephen then shot towards other accused persons and one of them fell down,” he said.
According to Insp Chazovachiyi, Stephen Sande then fled into his house, and watched through the window as the other suspects picked their injured colleague, shoved him into their getaway car and drove off.
On the same day around 11pm, six armed robbers pounced on another small-scale miner in Nyamande village, Chief Chinamhora in Domboshava, and went away with property valued at $14 000.
“Memory Chitumba (29) who is wife to Gamuchirai Nyamande (36), a small-scale gold miner, was asleep in her bedroom with her daughter when six men broke into their house.
“The culprits demanded cash and threatened to assault her. She indicated to them that she had no money in the house since she had bought bricks and mining equipment the previous day.
“The assailants went on to rob her of two cellphones and a brown jacket valued about $14 000,” he said.
The robbers then demanded cash from a third miner, threatening to assault him with crow bars and knives.
Out of fear, he showed them where he had hidden the money and the robbers took US$5 100, two cellphones, a satchel and a pair of brown shoes, before fleeing.
All the cases were reported to ZRP Chinamhora.
People have been urged not to keep large sums of cash at home or businesses.
Online Reporter