A GANG of masked and armed robbers on Tuesday besieged a
Salvation Army Church in Mbizo, Kwekwe where they got away with cash, property,
groceries, laptops and the church vehicle.
The gang of four broke into the house where they tortured
the church pastor and his family before looting cash amounting to US$400 and
$700 and household property. They then used the church vehicle as a gateway
car.
The car was later recovered at Halfway where the robbers
dumped it. Although acting Midlands provincial police spokesperson Assistant
Inspector Ethel Mkwende professed ignorance over the matter saying she was yet
to get information, the church’s public relations officer, Captain Victor
Mafukidze, confirmed the robbery saying it was the latest in a spate of
robberies targeting their church lately. Captain Mafukidze said their church
has of late witnessed four robberies in a space of a month.
“Yes, I can confirm the robbery in Kwekwe which has become
the latest in a number of robberies targeting our church.
“We are living in fear as we are now a target of armed
robbers. I don’t know who told them that we keep money but the truth is that
people are now using plastic money and we also bank all the cash that we
receive,” he said.
Captain Mafukidze said another pastor who had come from
Uganda, where he is based, to attend a funeral, was pounced on in Harare a week
ago and the robbers took away cellphones and cash.
The church’s second in command was also a victim at OK Mart
Harare where they took away cash and cellphones while another one took place in
Kadoma where the robbers left the house empty after they got away with
household property.
Captain Mafukidze said plans were underway to enhance
security at their churches including keeping vicious dogs and installing
cameras.
A Sunday News crew also visited the church premises in
Mbizo and listened to the horrendous tale of what pastor Major Martin
Chitsiko’s family went through during the robbery.
Mrs Chitsiko said the robbers, four in number, scaled the
pre-cast wall before removing burglar bars using a crow bar and gained entry
into the house.
“It was around 1am and our two daughters were sleeping in
the spare bedroom when one of them saw a torch on the window. But since we stay
near Mbizo Polyclinic, she just thought maybe it was one of the ambulances that
usually ferry patients to the institution, little did she know they were
robbers,” she said.
After gaining entry into the house through the window, the
robbers headed straight to the main bedroom where they tied the couple’s hands
and legs.
“The other robbers went to the girls’ room where they again
tied the girls’ hands and legs using their body tops.
“They started beating us up with a hoe handle demanding
cash. We gave them all we had and they kept demanding more saying they wanted
the church money but we kept telling them that we bank all the church funds,”
she said, fighting back tears.
Mrs Chitsiko said the robbers ransacked the bedroom
searching everywhere but could not find any more money.
After being convinced there was indeed no more cash, the
robbers took property and loaded it into a Toyota Gaia car which was parked
outside and drove off, leaving the doors locked and the family still tied and
traumatised.
“They took away all our cellphones, blankets, groceries, a
brand new two-plate gas stove and its tank as well as two laptops and drove
off. Our eldest daughter, however, managed to untie herself and came to our
rescue. We then notified parishioners who stay nearby who helped make a police
report,” she said.
Sunday News
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