Georgina Takavadini, Court Reporter
Five HARARE men who allegedly robbed a Zembere Pinda Mining Syndicate owner of 92,5 grams of gold claiming to be police officers from CID Minerals were last week arraigned before the courts charged with robbery.
Tozivepi Chirara, 28, Francis Takura, 32, Happymore Gwande, 35, Ronald Masendeke, 29, and Mupfugami Govai, 35, pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa who released them on $2000 bail.
The five were told to come back to court on March 6 and to report twice a week at CID Homicide.
The State led by Lancelot Mutsokoti is alleging that that Benny Gudo contacted one of the accused Hamilton Nyoka who is still at large when he wanted to sell 92,5 grams of gold before Nyoka instructed him to come to Jameson Hotel so that they would talk about the deal.
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After that, Gudo went to Jameson Hotel not knowing that Nyoka was in the company of the accused people who were introduced to him as potential buyers.
Before discussing the deal, Gudo was told that they should go to the accused people’s offices situated along Chinamano Street.
As they were going, Takura was the driver who was driving a motor vehicle which was then used as a gate away car.
When they were at Chinamano, Takura instructed Gudo to disembark from the motor vehicle as they walked towards a locked door at the flat.
At that moment, Gwande, Masendeke and Govai together with the one only identified as Jonzo who is still at large came and pounced on the complainant.
The four then identified themselves as detective police officers from CID Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit.
They then searched Gudo and took the gold indicating that he was illegally dealing in gold.
The accused people went on to steal US$2 700, Tecno, Samsung J2 core and A2 core cell phones as they went on to handcuff Gudo.
They also took Gudo into their gate away vehicle and drove towards Harare Central Police Station.
The accused people dropped Takura saying he wanted to look for bribe money and they drove to Baines Avenue where they dumped Gudo as they sped off.
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The matter was reported on February 14 and detectives from CID Homicide arrested Chirara who then implicated the other accused and Jonzo who is still at large.
Takura was also found with the gate away motor vehicle.
The total value stolen is US$10 000 and nothing was recovered.
– HMETRO