TWO suspected armed robbers appeared at the Marondera Magistrates’ Court yesterday on allegations of terrorising three student teachers in Goromonzi and robbing them of various goods, including laptops.
BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
John Mangowani (39) and Cephas Mhere (39) denied the charge when they appeared before magistrate Tendai Muchini, who remanded them in custody to next week for continuation of trial.
According to court papers, on February 6, at around midnight the teachers − Edgar Bhiriyati (26), Tafara Zhou (21) and Raibo Wright (21) − who are all on attachment at Chiweshe Primary School, Melfort, were in their room when the accused knocked on the door.
Zhou reportedly opened the door before the accused entered the room armed with baton sticks and introduced themselves as police officers. It is alleged that Mangowani and Mhere accused the trio of dealing in foreign currency before demanding money from them.
It is alleged that the accused persons ransacked the room and during the process took laptops, cellphones and tracksuits.
It is reported that Bhiriyati tried to scream to alert neighbours, but was struck on the head with a baton stick. He sustained a deep cut.
The duo fled from the scene before a report was made at Melfort Police Base.
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Police recovered a baton stick at the scene.
The pair was later arrested after they had sold one of the cellphones to Joseph Mukwenha who implicated the accused. On March 1, police officers searched Mangowani’s home and recovered Morgan Zintec College tracksuits, among other stolen items.
The value of the stolen goods was pegged at $1 347 and property worth $270 was recovered.
Lovemore Musariyarwa represented the State.
