Two gun-toting Harare teenagers, who last week caused a scare as they indiscriminately fired shots at motorists at a robot-controlled intersection in Avondale, yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing 10 counts of attempted murder.
The teenagers, Ralph Benedict Nicholson (17) and Taylor Michael Cameron (19), are alleged to have strategically positioned themselves in a ditch between trees at the corner of Leopold Takawira Street and Cork Road in Avondale, dressed in camouflaged jackets as they fired gunshots at stationary vehicles.
Nicholson and Cameron, scholars at St John’s College and American Hotel and Lodging Association respectively, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma. They were remanded out of custody to August 8 on $200 each after the State consented to bail.
As part of their bail conditions, they were ordered to surrender their passports, to report twice at their nearest police stations, to reside at the given addresses and not to interfere with witnesses.
The court heard the incidents occurred from around 9:30pm after the two allegedly armed themselves with two rifles and connived to randomly shoot at motorists crossing at the intersection.
One of the victims, Ridwaan Bhaijee, is reported to be battling for his life at the Avenues Clinic after he was hit at the back of his neck as he stopped to give way to traffic.
Another victim, Thabalang Maroka, allegedly escaped death by a whisker when the fired bullets missed him, but shattered his passenger window and his left rear view mirror.
The court also heard that a taxi driver Simba Katsande arrived at the same intersection and bullets were showered at his car, one of which missed his head, but left a hole on the driver’s headrest before shattering the rear passenger window.
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Other victims who allegedly miraculously escaped unharmed were Luckmore and Persuade Gwaba who were missed by bullets that shattered their car’s rear windscreen.
The other complainants in the matter are Joseph Nkani and Ahmid Ishmael.
