A SURVIVOR of the March shoot-out which claimed three armed
robbers in Eastlea, Harare, skipped bail barely a week after being released,
but was finally rearrested along with Taj Abdul and six others in Beitbridge
this week.
Godfrey Mupamhanga was one of two men who were arrested
after the shoot-out and hauled before the Harare Magistrates Court facing nine
armed robbery charges.
Three armed robbers were killed in the March shoot-out
along Glenara Avenue South, while the two were captured alive, but suspected
gang leader Abdul (alias Musa Mahommed or Kedha), made good his escape.
Mupamhanga and Prince Zakeo were separately granted bail by
the High Court. Mupamhanga was freed on April 15 after it emerged that he had
no known previous convictions or pending cases.
The State could not directly link him to the commission of
the offences, save for implication by some suspects, who later changed their
stories.
As part of his bail conditions, Mupamhanga, who was
represented by Harare lawyer Mr Nelson Makunyire, was ordered to pay $5 000
bail, stay at his house in Lusaka, Highfield, report to the police twice weekly
until finalisation of the criminal case and surrender his passport.
However, Mupamhanga jumped bail, suspected to be barely a
week after his release, and joined Abdul and other hardcore criminals believed
to be operating from South Africa. Zakeo also vanished but he is yet to be
apprehended. He was supposed to be in court on May 26 but did not appear, and a
warrant of arrest was issued.
The Eastlea shooting claimed the lives of three robbers:
Dennis Stanley Dube alias Dingola (29), Taurai Chitepo (36) and another one
only identified as Johnson.
Police believe the gang was based in South Africa, just
coming north to conduct its Zimbabwean raids.
On February 5 this year, it is alleged the gang went to
Makoni Shopping Centre, Chitungwiza, armed with pistols, an AK47 rifle and
robbed unsuspecting complaints of US$19 000, $30 000, cellphones and a Toyota
Allion vehicle, which was later found abandoned in Glen View.
It is also alleged on February 26, the gang robbed another
person in Harare of US$40 000, jewellery, several pairs of shoes, a laptop,
cellphones, a Star pistol and Hyundai vehicle. The gang proceeded to the victim’s
workplace and robbed him of US$227 250 and R28 000.
At the scene of the shoot-out, police recovered a 9mm CZ
pistol, a Star pistol, Bruno pistol, .38 special Amadeo Rossi revolver, FN
Browning pistol, 20x9mm rounds of ammunition and 4×7.65mm live rounds. Herald
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