adminOn all the incidents, Ndlovu and his alleged accomplices would ambush the security guards, tie them with pieces of wire and then blow money safes with explosives before getting away with varying amounts of cash and goods.
Two of his accomplices—Baleka Maphosa and Michael Mbizvo have already been convicted and are serving for some of the offences they committed together while one Zibusiso Sithole who is on remand for the Emganwini robbery.
Ndlovu was arraigned before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Victor Mpofu facing two counts of robbery.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to 12 January.
He claimed that police assaulted him and forced him to admit to the charges and the magistrate instructed Mr Malvern Nzombe, for the State, to investigate the claims.
Allegations against Ndlovu are that on 8 August last year, while in the company of one Tinashe Mubhovori who is still at large, Maphosa and Mbizvo hatched a plan to commit robbery by using explosives to blow money safes to gain access to money.
It is alleged that while in Plumtree, the quartet went to Dingumuzi Beerhall at about midnight.
They approached the complainant, Mr Kwanele Dlodlo, a Plumtree Town Council security guard who was guarding the premises and grabbed and pushed him to the ground.
They then allegedly tied his hands and legs with pieces of wire whereupon Ndlovu allegedly stabbed him with a knife on the palm.
It is alleged that Ndlovu remained guarding Mr Dlodlo while Maphosa and Mubhovori forced open the door to an office where the money safe was kept.
Mbizvo also allegedly remained outside guarding the premises for any disturbances.
While in the office, Maphosa and Mubhovori used explosives to blast the safe and stole about $3 050 and 1 500 rand.
They then all left the scene and Ndlovu was allegedly given $900 as his share.
On the second count, Ndlovu allegedly teamed up with Sithole, Thabo Ncube who is on a warrant of arrest after defaulting court and Lovemore Nyoni who is still at large and went to Kugona Social Club at about 3am on 2 September.
The complainant is Mr Emmanuel Govanai of Nketa and a security guard at the club.
The quartet was allegedly armed with a pick, iron bars and explosives.
They forcibly entered through the window and threatened Mr Govanai with an object that resembled a pistol.
Ndlovu, Sithole, Ncube and Nyoni tied Mr Govanai with a piece of wire and handcuffs and assaulted him with iron bars all over the body demanding to be shown where money was being kept.
The court heard that they then ransacked the premises and stole $635,80 bricks of Pacific cigarettes, 1×6 pack of Hunters beer and a Chartwood Milner portable money safe before fleeing from the scene.
They allegedly attempted to blast the safe but failed and it was dawn.
They allegedly carried the safe to Ndlovu’s nephew, a Geith Humphrey Shonhiwa at 483 Emganwini, who they enticed with $23, eight packets of cigarettes and a six pack of beer for him to assist carry the safe to his place of residence.
Shoniwa allegedly hid the safe in his bedroom but later on after realising that Ndlovu, Sithole, Ncube and Nyoni had disappeared and fearing that he might be arrested, he panicked and reportedly informed his neighbour a Mr Katiji about the safe.
Mr Katiji alerted the club manager and police.
From the loot, Ndlovu was allegedly given $150,80 packets of cigarettes and six pints of beer as his share of the spoils.
Only the money safe, 80 packets of cigarettes, a six-pack of Hunters beer and $200 were recovered at Shoniwa’s house while all the other property was not recovered.
Online Reporter