Four up for impersonating police officers

Michael Mashiri

Four people who impersonated police officers and robbed more than US$17 000 worth of property appeared in court.

Romeo Chakwizira, 25, of Waterfalls, William Mabika, 32, of Hopley, Loyd Mutusva, 48, of Waterfalls, Liberty Chigwada, 28, of Southlea Park appeared before Stanford Mambanje at the Harare Magistrates' Courts accused of robbery.

The State, through Lancelot Mutsokoti, alleges that around 190 hours on April 13, Chakwizira, Mabika, Mutusva and Chigwada went to the complainant's house. When they reached there, they introduced themselves as police officers.

They got into the house and met the complainant in the passage and demanded the whereabouts of one Martin Ngosana whom the complainant had no knowledge of.

They then hand cuffed the complainant and brought out a pistol, two pairs of scissors, a big and a small one and two machetes.

The four instructed the complainant lie down on the floor, and struck her on both hands using a machete.

During that period, others ransacked the rooms, celling and in the wardrobes searching for money.

They stole a 42-inch Samsung colour television, Sanyo 32 inch television from two separate bedrooms.

They proceeded into to the bedroom and stole two 2-in-1 blankets, a silver Dell laptop, a black Hp laptop, an Iphone 7 Plus, Nokia cellphone with no sim card, ltel cellphone, a Huawei cellphone with no sim card and US$5 cash which was in the dresser drawer.

They went to the garage and stole a black 200 Amp solar power battery.

One of them returned into the dining room and took a gate remote and Toyota Hiace keys from the table.

The four then loaded all the goods they had stolen into the black Toyota Hiace Quantum and went away.

They later abandoned the stolen vehicle at a car wash in Chitungwiza.

Upon arrest they led to the recovery of a Samsung 42 inch television set, solar investor, 200 AMP solar battery, solar panel and Itel cellphone which were positively identified by complainant as stolen from her during the robbery.