A PRISON officer based at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in Harare, appeared in court yesterday charged with supplying live bullets to serial robbery suspects, who later shot and injured three people in May last year.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Warren Hazvienzani Katiro, a member of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, denied the three counts of attempted murder levelled against him, but admitted to supplying the robbery suspects with bullets.
Katiro was remanded to February 23 for continuation of trial by regional magistrate, Hosiah Mujaya.
The State alleges that on an unknown date, but sometime in May last year, Katiro stole an unknown number of 9mm live rounds of ammunition from his workplace.
It is alleged on May 18 last year, and at around 1pm, Katiro requested for transport to town from a colleague and went to Harare Gardens, where he met his alleged accomplices, Allen Mutemachani and Rodwell Joe, both ex-convicts, and gave them nine rounds of ammunition.
On the same day, the trio allegedly armed themselves with an AK assault rifle and 30 rounds of ammunition and proceeded to Deputy Police Commissioner Olga Bungu’s residence, where they shot a police officer identified as Yeukai Chimhanda and drove away.
On May 20, they allegedly pounced on Courage Mawonde, a foreign currency dealer, whom they shot and injured and robbed him of $3 000 and R20 000 cash.
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Five days later, they pounced on Edwin Manyika, another foreign currency dealer, whom they shot in the stomach and shoulder, but failed to rob him after he raised alarm drawing the attention of the public.
On June 29 last year, detectives received information about Mutemachani’s whereabouts and they waylaid him in Houghton Park.
The State alleges that when Mutemachani realised that he had been cornered, he fired a shot at the detectives, but he missed. The police officers then shot back and killed him.
Ephraim Zinyandu is prosecuting for the State.
