29-year-old Belvedere Robbery Accomplice in Court

Munyaradzi Mashiri

Zim Now Court Correspondent

A 20-year-old man, Onias Maringa, appeared in court on charges of robbery after allegedly participating in a break-in at a Belvedere home.

Maringa was remanded in custody at the Harare Magistrates' Court. According to the State, the incident took place on December 1, at approximately 4:00 a.m., when the complainant, Chenai Dangarembizi, was asleep in her bedroom at house number 89 Highway Road, Belvedere, Harare. Dangarembizi was woken up by one of the accused, already inside the house, who ordered her to remain silent or face assault.

The court heard that Maringa threatened the complainant, warning her to comply with his demands or risk further harm from his accomplices waiting outside.

In fear, Dangarembizi complied, allowing Maringa to search the room. When he could not find any money, Maringa resorted to stealing items from the house, loading 17 tracksuits, 10 pairs of sneakers, 17 t-shirts, 2 bedcovers, 1 blanket, 12 pairs of jeans, a hair straightener, a hot air brush, and a projector into two 50-liter washing buckets.

After Maringa left the premises, Dangarembizi alerted her son, who lived in a cottage about 20 meters away. Together with three other tenants from the compound, they followed the direction Maringa had taken.

They later encountered a mob that had apprehended two men, including one of Maringa’s accomplices, who were caught pushing a cart loaded with stolen clothes.

The complainant's son positively identified the stolen property, and the group escorted the accused back to the house to verify the recovered items. Upon arrival, they found the neighborhood security patrol already at the scene. The suspects were handed over to the patrol team, along with the stolen property.

However, the situation took a tragic turn when one of the accused collapsed due to injuries sustained from a mob assault and later died.

The court proceedings continue, with Maringa facing robbery charges as the investigation into the robbery and the tragic death unfolds.