THE Mudzi mine armed robbery case which allegedly involved a Zanu PF central committee member Tonderai Bosha and six others has taken a new twist after the complainant withdrew the charges at a police station in Mutoko on Sunday.
BY STAFF REPORTER
Bosha (37), who is Zanu PF secretary for indigenisation in the youth league, was arrested alongside his six alleged accomplices namely Khumbulani Chivhanga (36), Sydney Homwe (46), Justin Nyamudyambanje (37), Sternford Chikweto (35), Simbarashe Nyandoro (34) and Owen Mutinha (33) after they stormed Trade Invest Africa Mine, fired a shot before robbing the mine of six bags of gold ore.
They were arrested near the mine after their vehicle, a Ford Everest, broke down. They spent two nights in police cells.
In his withdrawal affidavit dated November 15, which was signed before lawyer Tariro Machiridza, the mine manager Never Mangilazi admitted that he had filed an armed robbery case, but now wanted to withdraw it so that they settle the “matter out of court”.
“On Friday, November 13, 2020, I brought a criminal case against messrs Tonderai Bosha, Khumbulani Chivhanga, Sydney Homwe and four other accomplices on a charge of armed robbery, RRB4534580. The said accused persons have been in police custody since then.
“I have since engaged with the accused persons’ representative together with my director Jossam Mangere and we have agreed to resolve the matter out of court. I, therefore, wish not to prosecute any further the said criminal complaint as I and the company I represent have since found each other with the said accused persons and thus wish to withdraw the criminal complaint I had made,” wrote Mangilazi.
Police had heard that on November 13, the suspects parked their vehicle about 100m from a shaft where workers were digging for gold.
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Homwe reportedly asked the mine workers for their boss and Mangilazi told them that he was the one in charge.
It is reported that Homwe further asked about the whereabouts of the mine owners to which Mangilazi told them that one of the mine directors, Mangere, was inside a cabin at the mine.
Mangilazi then sent one of the workers Baxton Masiiwa to call Mangere, but the director refused to meet the suspects saying they should instead come to the cabin where he was. It is reported that this did not go well with the suspects.
Bosha allegedly produced a pistol and fired one shot into the air while Chivhanga ordered all the workers to vacate the place.
The suspects then stormed the shaft and loaded six sacks of gold ore in their car. They also allegedly took a shovel, pick, hammer and two chisels.
After the arrest, police recovered a Walther Pistol Calibre 7.65mm with a magazine loaded with three rounds in Bosha’s pocket.
