Robbery gang member arrested, appears in court

Michael Mashiri

A man, who was part of a team that pretended to need to transport and robbed him US$700 and his car, has appeared in court.

Kudakwashe Bwoni, 23, of Epworth, appeared before magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa at the Harare Magistrate’s Courts facing robbery allegations.

He was ordered to appear on January 3 as bail was opposed.

The State, through prosecutor Anesu Chirenje, alleges that on December 1, 2023, at around 2230 hours, Bwoni who was working with Enerst Bwoni and Thabisani Nyathi, who are now an remand for the same offence, and one other accomplice who is still at large, only identified as Brian Zindoga, approached the complainant driving a Toyota IST towards Chiremba Shops, Epworth pretended as if they wanted to hire him to Epworth’s Munyuki Shops, Epworth.

Upon arrival at Munyuki Shops, they told him that they now wanted to be taken to Maruva area near Glenwood, Epworth.

In the Maruva area, they got out of the car on the pretext that they wanted to have a recess and suddenly grabbed complainant by the neck, produced knives and demanded the car keys and other valuables.

The complainant managed to wrestle with accused persons and he disarmed one of the accused persons who was holding a knife and stabbed him in the chest.

During the scuffle, the accused persons stole from complainant an Itel phone and US$700 which was stashed in two envelopes under the mat.

Complainant was then dragged out of the car and hit on the head with a stone.

The accused persons got into the complainant’s car and drove away, leaving him stranded at the scene.

The complainant made a report at ZRP Epworth.

On December 2, 2023, detectives from CID VTS Harare were informed that the accused persons were selling a Toyota IST in Magaba area, Mbare for US$1 000.

Detectives swiftly reacted leading to the arrest of the Enerst and Nyathi and subsequent recovery of the stolen car but Kudakwashe and one other accomplice managed to escape.

Upon searching these two accused persons, they were found with three okapi knives and a counterfeit US$20 note with serial number PI0154874808.

On December 6, 2023, at around 2039 hours, Kudakwashe who was on the run, was brought to station by his legal representative who handed over him to the police, leading to his arrest.