Armed robber up for $135k theft

By The Standard | Oct. 21, 2017 | 2 Min read

A 34-YEAR-OLD suspected robber on Thursday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing four counts of robbery charges involving $134 875.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

The suspect, Decide Rice, who was represented by Tawanda Takaendesa, was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Josephine Sande, who remanded him in custody to October 25 and advised him to approach the High Court for bail.

It is the State’s case that on May 10 this year, the first complainant in the matter, who was not named in the court papers, was on duty at Eastip Chicken Abattoirs armed with a Taurus revolver when Rice and his suspected accomplices Godknows Shumba, Shadreck Kabanga and Alvin Matinhure, who are already on remand, hatched a plan to rob the firm.

The court heard they approached the complainant, who was standing by the gate, whereupon Rice snatched the revolver and took to his heels.

The State alleges the complainant gave chase, but the suspects later stopped, turned on him and started assaulting him.

The State alleged on June 1, Rice and his accomplices proceeded to rob Puma Service Station in Whitecliffe, Kuwadzana, where they made off with mobile phones and $650 cash after attacking petrol attendant Munashe Magaya and security guard Banarbas Kangara.

The gang then proceeded to another Puma Service Station at Snake Park on July 1, where they stole $1 000 from fuel attendants Timothy Mupinyori and Kudakwashe Kutyaurere.

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On August 27, the gang is again alleged to have pounced at Borrowdale, Maidenhead Lane, where they pretended to be hay bale buyers before robbing Brian Black, Nadia Farina, Ketayi Abdullah Kabvuwo, Jimmy Sande and Ngondo Chimulinte of various items including mobile phones and cash.

Rice and his accomplice were arrested on September 9 this year, leading to the recovery of the revolver. Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.