THE gang of armed robbers who allegedly robbed Meru Service Station of US$129 000 last week hid their loot in a garden, wardrobe and various other places while one of them bought a 48-inch TV, a kitchen unit, some kitchen utensils, buckets, a cell phone and some groceries.
Details about how the gang planned their robbery have emerged after six suspects, including one who was shot in the leg by police as he tried to flee after being cornered in Chitungwiza, after the gang appeared in court over the weekend.
Willard Chinorukwa, Enerst Manzunzu, Borniface Masora, Simbarashe Vheremu, Munyaradzi Gurure and Mike Matumba were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa.
Other suspects are still at large.
The court heard that on Monday last week, the gang connived to rob Meru Service Station.
They armed themselves with a 9mm Star pistol, serial number 53634, and machetes before proceeding to Meru Service station in Kuwadzana in a silver Nissan AD Van with registration numbers ADP 9724.
They waylaid for the company’s cashier, Hillary Hufa, who was collecting cash from Mbare, Kuwadzana and Whitehouse branches.
They spotted him collecting cash from Meru Service Station in Kuwadzana and walking towards his company’s Nissan AD Van, which was parked at the service station’s parking bays.
They confronted Zindoga Jiri, a Fawcett Security guard, who was on duty, and disarmed him of his 38 Revolver loaded with three rounds.
They confronted Hufa, who was about to board his vehicle, and they threatened him with the pistol and ordered him to drop the satchel that was in his possession.
The satchel contained US$129 111 cash.
They grabbed the satchel and fled from the scene in their getaway vehicle.
On Thursday, detectives from CID Homicide received information to the effect that Chinorukwa was involved in the robbery and was in Chitungwiza.
They swiftly reacted and went to his house in Unit O, Seke, where he was arrested after he was shot in the leg while trying to flee from the police.
Police recovered US$ 7 760 which was hidden in his garden.
He then led police to arrest Manzunzu in Norton and US$ 7 500 was recovered from his bedroom.
The police arrested the rest of the gang on the same day.
Detectives recovered US$1980 from Masora, which was hidden in a wardrobe, a kitchen unit, a 48-inch television set, kitchen utensils, some buckets, a cell phone and some groceries which were bought with some of the cash.
Masora led the police to Vheremu’s house where they recovered US$3000.
The police then arrested Gurure and recovered US$1260 from him.
Matumba was the last to be arrested and police recovered US$1900 from him.
The gang was remanded in custody pending finalisation of investigations.
Credit – Herald Zimbabwe
