THREE illegal diamond panners in Chiadzwa have been arrested on charges of robbing a Zimbabwe Republic Police Support Unit officer manning Marange diamond fields of his AK47 rifle with 30 rounds of ammunition.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
The first accused, Nomore Nyamupenza (23) from Sakubva in Mutare, second accused, Phillip Mamutse (17) and Lovemore Zvarevashe (38) both from Marange appeared before Mutare magistrate, Tendai Mahwe, facing charges of robbery.
According to the prosecutor, Walter Saunyama, on September 2 this year, just after midnight, the complainant from Chikurubi Support Unit Camp in Harare was on guard at Jinan Diamond plant.
The complainant was armed with his AK47 service rifle charged with a magazine of 30 rounds.
The complainant was in the company of the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company(ZCDC) security guard, who was armed with a baton. At around 0230 hours the security guard went for a roving patrol, leaving the complainant in the guardroom. He left the baton stick on the bench in the room.
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Nyamupenza and Mamutse stormed into guardroom and confronted the complainant who was alone in the guard room.
Zvarewashe was outside keeping watch. Accused one, according to the State, threatened the complainant with an iron bar and ordered him to surrender his rifle.
The complainant surrendered the rifle to Mamutse, who picked the baton the security guard had left before the suspects fled from the scene. They allegedly hid the rifle and baton in a mountain.
Information was received from a police informer that Mamutse was in possession of a firearm, leading to his arrest.
Mamutse led police detectives to Tonhorai Mountain, where the rifle and baton were recovered and through his indications implicated Nyamupenza and Zvarevashe, leading to their arrest.
The rifle worth $1 500 was used as exhibit yesterday in court.