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Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent
Three suspected armed robbers have appeared in court on allegations of robbing a gas station and a school in Harare.
Washington Musindo, Tinashe Tagwireyi and Lameck Magaya were facing armed robbery charges when they appeared before Harare Magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa who remanded them in custody to November 3 pending trial.
They were advised to approach the High Court for bail.
It is the State’s case that on October 11, the trio and their accomplices who are still at large armed themselves with a pistol, metal bars, bolt cutters and explosives and proceeded to Total Service Station in Budiriro 1 Shops, Harare.
The court heard that upon arrival, they manhandled the security guard and petrol attendant threatening to shoot them if they did not comply.
The trio force-marched the two complainants into an office where they tied both their hands and legs using cell phone chargers.
Together with their accomplices, they searched the fuel attendant and stole his Itel AS8, US$4 and ZWL$4000 before forcing open the director’s office where they stole a Lenovo laptop, 2x DVR.
They opened a safe using a key which was in one of the drawers and stole US$6 000 and disappeared into the darkness.
The total value stolen is US$6200 and nothing was recovered.
On September 26, at around 8pm, Musindo and his accomplices who are still at large planned to rob Westlea Primary school in Harare.
They armed themselves with an unidentified pistol, bolt cutters, metal bars and explosives and pounced on two security guards who were on duty at the school.
They manhandled the security guards and force marched them into one of the classroom blocks where they placed them under guard.
The accused persons proceeded to the administration block where they broke the screen door and the doors and gained entry.
lt is alleged that the gang blasted a safe which was in the headmaster’s office where they took cash US$1 932. They also took 1x HP Core i7 silver laptop, 2x HP Envy laptop, 1x HP Laserjet Pro MFP printer, 1x CADAC 45-litre cooler box, 1x AFM solar Digimark, 62kg beef, 30kg chicken drumsticks, 1x HP laptop Core iS, 2x LED solar lights.
The total value stolen is US$8 088 and US$1 200 was recovered.
On September 27, at around 2am, Musindo and his accomplices still at large planned to rob Rukudzo Primary School in Kambuzuma Section 3, Harare.
They attacked the complainant who was on guard. They then tied both his hands and legs with shoelaces and assaulted him all over the body with booted feet and clenched fists while searching his pockets and took US$4
They then proceeded to the administration block where they blasted a safe in the headmistress’ office but failed to open it. They took US$404 which was in a, small cashbox, an Acer laptop and several groceries.
The blast damaged the property in the office and total value stolen is US$1 075 and nothing was recovered.
The gang proceeded to Kuwadzana 8 Primary School at around 10.30pm armed with an unidentified pistol, bolt cutters and iron bars. They hit the complainant with an iron bar ordering him to lie down facing downwards.
They pointed the firearm at his head threatening to shoot him if he did not comply. They took his cell phone and proceeded to the administration block where they blasted a safe and stole ZWL$68 000, and US$3 551 and went away.
They are also facing charges of unlawful possession of a firearm after they were arrested in Domboshava while in possession of it.
Online Reporter