By Judith Nyuke
Seven suspected armed robbers who raided a financial services company in Belgravia, Harare and fled with over US$720 676, R10 500, Euro 120, a 7.65 mm CZ Vzor pistol and three laptops appeared in court on Friday.
Washington Mangwanda 21, Brighton Chikukwa, 27, Silence Matambo, 27, Liberty Mukanganise, Richard Tafadzwa Marondera, 25, Luke Zinyengere, 28, and Shadreck Tendai Mudanga, 42 appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Ndirowei charged with armed robbery.
The matter was referred to 4 March 2024.
The State represented by Lancelot Mutsokoti alleges that on 25 February 2024 around 0130 hours, the accused persons hatched plan to rob the complainant, Lancelot Tashayawedu.
They reportedly armed themselves with a revolver pistol, unidentified blank pistol, electric drill, iron bar, bolt cutter and explosives and proceeded to complainant’s offices located at number 6 Rochester road, Alexandra Park, Harare driving in four separate vehicles namely a blue Honda Fit, silver Honda Fit, black Mercedes Benz and black Toyota Wish.
Upon arrival, they approached Tashayawedu in his bedroom after breaking the door of his bedroom. They tied his hands at the back and legs together with an electric cable.
They reportedly left him under guard by one of them while the other accused persons proceeded to the main office building at the premises where they used an iron bar to smash the window pane of one of the office building to gain entry into office.
The accused persons ransacked several offices at the building including the server room, the Managing director’s office, the Operations manager’s office and the board room.
They blasted strong room and the safes using some detonators and stole cash amounting to US$720 676-00, 2 x small cash boxes, 3xHp Laptops, a small monarch bag, Wi-Fi router, ZAR 10 500, cash 120 Euros, PABX telephone machine and a 7.65 mm CZ Vzor pistol serial numbers 20273 belonging to Peace Security Company which provide security during the day under Central Firearms Registry number 77009 for protection of cash, bullion and other valuables in transit.
The accused persons were disturbed by the arrival of the Safe Guard reaction team who parked their vehicle at the front of the offices and they fled from the scene leaving a grinder, fuse cables and a bag with two laptops.
The accused persons also dropped cash amounting to US$5 000-00 as they made good their escape by breaking precast panels at the back of the building.
Investigations led to the arrest of the accused persons and subsequent recovery of varying amounts of cash from each accused person. Also recovered were motor vehicles which were bought by some of the accused persons using the stolen cash.
