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Herald Reporters
One suspected member of the robbery gang that hit ABC Auctions in Seke Road on Friday night last week was fatally shot when hit in a shoot out with police on Tuesday while two other suspected gang members were arrested and appeared in court for a custodial remand yesterday.
The gang of seven blew open six safes at ABC Auctions after holding up the outnumbered security guards with pistols and stole US$1 014 031 cash and a large assortment of jewellery worth an estimated US$250 000.
Police yesterday said Trymore Bondamakara aged 37 had been shot during a shoot out with the police in Epworth on Wednesday.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the on-going investigations achieved their first breakthrough on Tuesday when detectives from CID Homicide, the unit which handles all major violent crime including robbery, confronted Bondamakara and Kelvin Marimo (42), identified in court as a police officer, after receiving information linking them to the robbery.
Trymore Bondamakara tried to escape and a shoot-out ensued with the detectives.
The suspect was taken to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where he died upon admission.
Further investigations by the detectives led to the recovery of the suspect’s get-away vehicle, a Toyota Aqua registration number AFP 3293, three watches, a necklace, two Patrick Mavros Silver ladies cuffs, an 18 carat diamond ring, a Cartier fountain pen and four gold rings in Solomio, Ruwa,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
The detectives arrested Osinenge Zvomuya and recovered US$ 8 520 after tracking him to Madziwa, Mashonaland Central. Police found Zvomuya bought a residential stand in Madziwa for US$6 000, believed to be from his share of US$25 000 from the money stolen at ABC Auctions.
On 12th October 2022, Police recovered a 0.38 Amadeo Rossi Revolver at Belivista Farm, Epworth, that had belonged to the late Trymore Bondamakara.
The gang is believed to be the same one that on Wednesday last week tried to rob a Steward Bank branch along Churchil Avenue in Gunhill, Harare, but found the safe they blew open empty, and the theft on September 6 at Edurate Investments along Seke Road in Arlington Estates, Hatfield, in which US$110 000 cash was stolen.
“Police’s comprehensive investigations in order to clear all the cases in which the suspects are linked are in progress,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
Yesterday Marimo of 18043 Unit M Seke, Chitungwiza, and Zvomuya of Matange Village, Chief Mutumba, Madziwa, appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere on two counts of robbery.
They were remanded in custody to October 27 and told only the High Court could hear any bail application in this sort of case.
On the first count, the court heard that on Saturday at around 1am, Marimo, Bondamakara (now deceased) Zvomuya and four others went to Sagitarian Private Limited trading as ABC Auctions, scaled the precast wall and approached Langton Ziromba and Editor Meda who were guarding the premises.
They allegedly simultaneously pointed pistols towards the security guards and ordered them to lie down and tied their hands and legs with shoe laces, then searched them and stole cellphones, a bloodhound and a panic buttons.
Guard Mr Meda was ordered to comply with bloodhound instructions. The gang then allegedly forced open the offices, broke into six safes using grinders and explosives.
They stole US$1 014 000 in cash and a large quantity of watches and jewellry worth around US$250 000: a Tissot Sea Star B925-152 watch, a loz gold coin, a G-Shock MT-G men’s watch, a Pasha de Cartier 18k gold watch, a 1,6530 carat round brilliant diamond, a 15-stone yellow gold ring, a five-stone yellow gold ring, five yellow gold rings, a yellow gold diamond set cluster ring, a gold identity bracelet of 134,3g, a single stone yellow gold ring, a stone set white gold ring, a white 18 carat gold ring set with diamonds, a yellow gold ring setwith pearls, a yellow gold ring set with sapphires and diamond, a Patrick Mavros silver ladies cuff, a Browns white gold 18ct diamond set ring, four yellow gold rings, a Cartier fountain pen, a stone set in white gold.
The total value stolen was US$1 264 031 comprising cash of US$1 014 031 and jewellery worth US$250 000. So far the value recovered is US$14 239 in cash and jewellery worth US$35 961, less than four percent of the total.
On the second count the court heard that previously on Thursday last week, the gang attacked Steward Bank offices. The security guard, who was the complainant, was doing perimeter checks when he saw the gang already in the premises and three armed with pistols.
One pointed a pistol at the guard and ordered him to sit down and they then stole his revolver loaded with 5 rounds and a Vivo cellphone with an Econet line.
While one robber was left with the guard the other five broke open the main office door using an iron bar went to the tellers office where they took two Chubb safes and opened one of them using a grinder. It was empty. They then broke into the manager’s office but nothing was stolen. The total value of the revolver and phone stolen was US$1350 and nothing was recovered.
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