admin
Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent
Two suspected robbers who went on rampage last year stealing US$74 000 and properties at different companies masquerading as police officers and soldiers yesterday appeared in court.
Obert Matarirano(48) and Edward Mawuye (42) yesterday appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa charged with robbery.
They were remanded in custody to July 20 and were asked to apply for bail at the High Court.
The State alleged that on October 19 last year at around 6:45pm, the two and their accomplices who are still at large went to S&M Bricks company in Harare.
They arrived at the premises with two grey and blue Honda Fit motor vehicles.
The pair, together with Tonga Magoto and Petros Mubaiwa who were armed, produced unidentified pistols and commanded everyone who was there to get into the pantry.
They ordered them to lie down while demanding firearms, cash and tied the hands of the complainants on the back .
They ransacked the offices and took US$42 000 which was in a metal cylinder, US$1 110 which was in a wallet that was inside the table drawer, two cellphones, a Chinese passport and driver’s licence.
After searching the rooms, they all got out and deflated the tyres of a white Ford Ranger vehicle thatwas parked outside before getting into their getaway cars and drove away.
On the second count, State alleged that on October 4 last year at around 6:45pm, the two accused persons, Magoto, Mubaiwa and four other accomplices who are still at large went to Zim Steel company in Harare.
This time they used a silver-grey Hondafit and changed their game plan by arriving there putting on complete Zimbabwe National Army camouflage.
The accused persons misrepresented themselves as members of the ZNA who wanted to search for firearms which they alleged they were illegally kept on the premises.
They threatened the complainants with pistols and went on to tie up everyone who was present using ropes and demanded cash and valuables.
The accused persons ransacked the whole office and took cash amounting to USD$10 000 from complainant’s hand bag.
They searched all employees and took seven cell phones, three Lenovo laptops, a CCTV server and ordered the complainant to surrender her car keys and she complied.
The accused further took the loot and loaded it into complainant’s motor vehicle a Mercedes Benz C200 black in color and drove away.
On the third charge in June last year the accused persons, Magoto, Mubaiwa and two other accomplices who are still at large proceeded to the complainant’s house armed with pistols purporting to be police officers.
They then confronted the complainant threatened him with firearms, ransacked the house and stole a Lenovo laptop, two cellphones, and us$100.
The accused persons sped off with the complainant’s property.
The two were implicated by Mubaiwa who is already in custody.
Online Reporter