4 remanded in custody for armed robbery

Zim Now Writer

Four men who are accused of robbing a Bulawayo mining equipment supplier at knife and gunpoint on March 11 have appeared in court.

Shepherd Samson Moyo, 27; Peter Mare, 28; Zenzo Mhambi, 37, and Bruce Ephraim Makara, 29, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Joseph Mabeza facing armed robbery charges.

Mabeza remanded the four in custody to March 28 and advised them to apply for bail at the High Court.

Japhet Mupunga, who is the fifth suspect, is on the run, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Nkazimulo Xaba told the court that the five men drove to Fideliquip on Fife Street and 13th Avenue in a silver Honda Fit that was fitted with false registration plate ACD 4509 on top of the vehicle’s proper registration, ACJ 2538.

They had been supplied with information on the company’s financial transactions by Makara, who works as a workshop manager at Ball Joint Centre situated close to Fideliquip.

At about 5.45pm, according to the court, with a pistol and a knife drawn, Moyo, Mare, Mhambi and Mupunga proceeded to the Fideliquip entrance, leaving Mare outside as a lookout.

Once they got inside, they accosted two employees, Shepherd Mudondo and Alfred Ndudzo, demanding cash.

Mhambi reportedly stabbed Ndudzo once below the right buttock.

Ndudzo and Mudondo surrendered a black bag with cash amounting to US$2 797, an Itel mobile phone, two Samsung J6 plus phones, a Gtel Infinity phone and an Itel tablet.

“When the accused demanded more money, Ndudzo indicated that there was some cash hidden in the company toilet that amounted to US$800 and after collecting it, they tied up the complainants using cable ties and locked them in the toilet,” Xaba said.

Ndudzo and Mudondo managed to free themselves and called the police.

Moyo and Mare, who were still using the gateway car, were arrested and US$800 was recovered.

Mhambi was later arrested and US$470 was recovered as well as one Samsung J6 plus.