Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo-Court Correspondent
A BULAWAYO man has appeared in court facing three counts of armed robbery after he allegedly teamed up with accomplices to raid two companies and a private residence in Harare, making away with cash, a safe, vehicles and other property worth more than US$554 000.
Tendai Nzwenga (39) appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Lazini Ncube, who advised him to approach the High Court for bail.
The State, represented by Mr Loveti Muringwa, alleges that Nzwenga and his accomplices carried out the three robberies between June and July this year.
The first robbery allegedly occurred on June 29 at around 10pm at the premises of complainant Sekeni Manyunguvadzi.
The court heard that Manyunguvadzi was asleep in a cottage with his wife and children when Nzwenga and his accomplices, who were allegedly wearing balaclavas and armed with two pistols, jumped over the pre-cast wall and entered the yard.
They allegedly proceeded to the cottage, pointed a pistol at Manyunguvadzi through his bedroom window, manhandled him and force-marched him to the offices.
The gang allegedly forced open the main door before ordering Manyunguvadzi to lie down in the General Secretary’s office.
They allegedly broke into a storeroom and stole a Chubb safe containing US$5 000 cash, three motor vehicle keys, four vehicle registration books, a panic button and a title deed in the name of Samuel Grey.
The safe was allegedly loaded onto Manyunguvadzi’s cart before the gang fled. They abandoned the cart along Smit Crescent, about 200 metres from the premises. Police from ZRP Epworth later recovered the safe on July 2.
According to the State, other contents were recovered except the US$5 000 cash.
The total value of property stolen during the robbery was US$7 422, with property worth US$2 422 recovered. Two days later, on July 1 at around 10pm, Nzwenga and his alleged accomplices reportedly struck at N Richards Granite Side in Harare. The gang was allegedly armed with rifles and pistols.
The court heard that security guard Silon Chaparadza (32), who was employed by Fawcett Security Company, was on night duty while Mark Arumero (44) was resting in his truck at the receiving bay, waiting to offload goods the following day. It is alleged that the robbers manhandled Chaparadza, ordered him to sit down and removed his Fawcett jacket and cap before tying his hands with shoelaces.
They allegedly also manhandled Arumero, force-marched him to where Chaparadza was and tied his hands and legs with pieces of cloth before covering his head with a work-suit jacket.
One of the robbers allegedly remained behind to guard the two victims while the others used explosives to blow open a safe in the cash office.
The gang allegedly stole US$39 888, ZWG74 270, R750, assorted whisky and soft drinks before fleeing in a getaway vehicle.
Police who attended the scene allegedly recovered 14 rounds of 223mm live ammunition, 21 rounds of 7.62x39mm live ammunition, damaged cartridges and capped fuses.
Nothing was recovered from the second robbery.
The third count allegedly occurred on July 20 at around 9pm at Heliconvest Company Private Limited along Nursery Road in Mt Pleasant, Harare.
The court heard that Nzwenga and his accomplices, armed with AK rifles and pistols, scaled the company’s perimeter wall and proceeded to the guardroom.
They allegedly manhandled security guards Blessed Mwanawezayo, Willm Socha and Kudzai Mapanzure.
They also allegedly confronted Ryan Bangajena, who was seated in a Honda Fit, registration number AEV 9517, and stole US$10 from him.
The gang allegedly proceeded to the offices where they manhandled and searched several employees before stealing cash from them.
The State alleges that they stole US$200 from Cheng Zeng Guo, US$110 from You Zhonglian, US$200 from Hu Rile’s drawer, US$60 and £200 from Liu Dan’s handbag, US$1 550 from Qiao Lei, US$280 from Liang Yong Bing, US$1 500 from Ji Zehang, US$314 from Shi Jin Lian and US$90 from Sydney Mufuka.
The robbers also allegedly manhandled Tadiwanashe Svova, Tadiwanashe Dube and Amanda Chinho, who had arrived from Bulawayo in a Toyota Hilux, registration number AGO 7110.
The gang allegedly ransacked the premises and stole three headphones, a 1TB USB flash drive, 100 Macao Dollars, a Reno 12 Oppo cellphone belonging to Liu Dan, a Patek Philippe wristwatch valued at US$50 000 belonging to Guo Zhonglian, keys to company vehicles and a CCTV DVR from the guardroom.
The court heard that the robbers later located a safe containing US$377 694 and 11 mining certificates in a main bedroom on the first floor.
They allegedly loaded the safe into the Toyota Hilux before driving away.
The Hilux was later recovered abandoned along Harare Drive in Mandara, opposite a ZAOGA church, on July 22.
On August 22, Dingani Mpofu was arrested in connection with the robbery and allegedly implicated Nzwenga.
Property worth US$87 000, including the Toyota Hilux and a Mazda Bongo, was subsequently recovered, according to the State.
The total value of property allegedly stolen during the third robbery was US$507 078.
Nzwenga was arrested on September 30 and allegedly made voluntary indications to the police showing how the robberies were allegedly staged.
