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Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
THREE armed robbers, who got away with a box of baked beans as part of their loot, after raiding a flat in Bulawayo’s Mzilikazi suburb have been arrested.
Robertson Khulekani Koti (29) of Nketa 8, Frond Mbiba (39) of Old Luveve and Mthulisi Brighton Mpofu (39) of Emganwini suburbs briefly appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Jechonia Ncube yesterday, facing charges of armed robbery and were remanded in custody to tomorrow for bail hearing.
According to the State’s case presented by Mr Ephraim Manongore, the three masqueraded as police detectives and proceeded to Ntabazinduna Flats in Mzilikazi, where they committed the robbery.
“On 2 October this year at around 10.30am the three went to a flat where they knocked on the complainant’s door. The complainant in this matter is a 17-year-old who is employed as a maid. They knocked on the door, which she opened and they introduced themselves as police detectives. They were armed with a pistol and one set of handcuffs. They enquired about the whereabouts of the owner of the apartment, to which the maid told them he was not around,” said Mr Manongore.
He said thereafter they then force-marched the maid into the bedroom, where they covered her with a blanket before ransacking the apartment.
“They ransacked the house where they got away with a box of Koo baked beans, eight 2-litre bottles of cooking oil, eight 2kg MAQ washing powder, 55 inch Sony plasma TV, Samsung microwave oven, open view and Dstv decoders, a laptop, 2 Apple iPods, a diagnostics machine, wrist watch, a black HTC cellphone and a speaker box. They loaded the loot into a hired vehicle and drove away,” said Mr Manongore.
He said a report was then made and investigations were carried out leading to the trio’s arrest. The stolen property was recovered at the trio’s places of residence.
“The handcuffs were recovered but the pistol was not. The value of the property stolen is worth an estimated value of RTGs$10 000,” said Mr Manongore. —@peterkmatika
Bongani Ndlovu