FIVE armed robbers have been arrested for allegedly robbing a Filabusi businessman of US$19 000, R72 000, RTGS$14 000 and electrical gadgets worth $10 000 after his girlfriend supplied the suspects with information and was paid R10 000.
Sindiso Moyo (36), Chargeman Ndlovu (23), Tinomutenda Msipa (36), Philip Ngwenya (23) all from Filabusi together with their two accomplices who are still at large teamed up with the married businessman’s girlfriend Nomalanga Mahlangu (19) who also works for Mr Douglas Chitengo who owns Spacebird Garage and robbed him.
Mahlangu tipped the armed robbers about his movements and was paid R10 000 when he was robbed by the gang.
The five suspects all pleaded not guilty to a charge of armed robbery when they appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dzira.
Moyo, Ndlovu, Mahlangu and Ngwenya were remanded in custody to February 12 for trial while Msipa was remanded out of custody on $500 bail.
Msipa is being represented by Mr Bukhosi Ncube of Malinga and Mpofu Legal Practitioners.He was granted bail on condition that he resides at the given address, does not interfere with State witnesses and reports every Friday at Filabusi Police Station until the matter is finalised.
Prosecuting, Mr Khumbulani Nyoni said the gang which was armed with four pistols connived with Mahlangu who supplied them with information on Mr Chitengo’s whereabouts after he had collected his daily proceeds from the fuel station on November 11 last year.
“On 11 November 2019 at around 2AM accused persons and two others who are still at large hatched a plan to rob the complainant of his cash at his house after Mahlangu who is Moyo’s girlfriend and is also employed by the complainant had supplied them with information on her employer’s whereabouts after he had collected his daily proceeds,” he said.
“The accused persons drove a Toyota Vitz vehicle to Mr Chitengo’s home and they forced open a locked sliding door using a crow bar and entered the house. They went to the complainant’s bedroom where he was sleeping with his wife, switched on the bedroom light and pointed four pistols at them and demanded cash.”
Mr Nyoni said out of fear for his life Mr Chitengo showed them a wardrobe where he had stored the money and they took US$19 000, R72 000 and RTGS$14 000.
They also took a laptop and three cellphones worth $10 000. Mr Nyoni said the accused persons locked the complainant and his family in the house and fled.
He said the gang shared the loot and gave Mahlangu R10 000 for supplying them with information.
He said on December 29 last year at around 2PM, Ndlovu who is one of the accused persons was arrested after a tip off.
“Ndlovu then implicated the other accused persons resulting in their arrest. On 1 January Moyo and Ndlovu voluntarily led police to the complainant’s home where they made indications on how the offence was committed,” he said. Chronicle
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