FOUR suspected armed robbers who allegedly pounced on a Fawcett Security firm cash-in-transit vehicle in a movie-style robbery late last month and got away with $125 634 in Nyanga appeared at the Mutare Magistrates’ Court over the weekend facing two counts of robbery.
OBEY MANAYITI
The four — Alex Musendo (35) of Hauna, Tonderai Teko (30) of Nyandoro village, Chief Mutasa area, Ceasar Chandakada Gapara (40) and Nkosiyaso Moyo, both from Harare — were remanded in custody to December 20 after they appeared before Mutare magistrate Sekesai Chiundura.
The State alleges that on November 29 this year, the suspects approached a Rusape truck driver, Bernard Mangoma, and misrepresented that they wanted to hire his truck to carry some bags of fertiliser from St Faith’s Mission. However, along the way, they allegedly stopped the driver at gunpoint and tied Mangoma and his assistants with a rope before driving off at high speed.
They then allegedly removed the truck’s registration plates and fixed them on Gapara’s Nissan Sunny vehicle and drove towards Duru Bridge along Selborne Aberboyle Road where they waylaid the Fawcett vehicle until the following morning.
On November 30, two of the suspects strategically positioned their “hired” lorry by the roadside awaiting the Fawcett truck while their alleged accomplices, who were now dressed in police uniform, drove from behind the cash-in-transit vehicle keeping it under close surveillance.
As the Fawcett vehicle approached Duru River Bridge, the lorry driver, identified as Mugwambi, encroached into the right lane, resulting in a head-on collision. After the crash, Mugwambi allegedly fled the scene with the Fawcett guards in hot pursuit After failing to apprehend him, the guards returned to the accident scene and found the area cordoned off by the suspects in police uniform who had trailed the Fawcett truck from Rusape.
The fake police then disarmed the guards, handcuffed them and stole a cashbox containing $125 634. They then locked up the guards inside their wrecked vehicle, and fled the scene leaving behind their “hired” lorry.
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Upon arrest, the four made indications resulting in the recovery of the empty cashbox and a revolver with three rounds stolen during the robbery. Police also recovered a vehicle valued at $13 700 allegedly bought from proceeds of the heist.
Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.
