Trio in court over armed robbery

Munyaradzi Mashiri- Court Correspondent

Three suspected armed robbers have appeared in court facing robbery charges.

Samson Tinashe Makamelo, Partially Makamelo, and Weston Muriravanhu stood before magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa, accused of committing the crime.

They are set to appear in court again on March 14. The magistrate advised them to apply for bail at the High Court.

The complainant in the case is Prisca Chisango.

According to prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti, the robbery took place on February 21, 2024, at around 2 AM.

The court heard that the three accused, along with their accomplice Washington Chikava—who is already on remand for this case—and other suspects still at large, conspired to rob Chisango.

Armed with an unidentified pistol and knives, the gang allegedly scaled a precast wall to gain entry into the complainant’s property.

They forced open the main door, entered the bedroom, and brandished a pistol while threatening to kill the victim.

The robbers then tied Chisango’s hands and legs using an electric cable and shoelaces before demanding US$30 000.

When she insisted that she did not have such an amount, she handed over US$650.

The suspects then ransacked the house, stealing various items, including a solar inverter, a 24-volt lithium battery, two cellphones, an iPad, and a laptop.

The stolen property is valued at approximately US$2 500, and none of it has been recovered to date.