A BUSINESSMAN from Bulawayo’s Tshabalala suburb is battling
for life in hospital after armed robbers shot him thrice and got away with
cash.
The same gang is
suspected to have earlier on the same day raided another businessman from the
same suburb whom they also robbed of cash.
Mr Henry Gumbo (32) who runs a butchery in Sizinda suburb
was driving home on Friday at about 8.30PM when the robbers pounced on him a
few metres away from his home.
The robbers shot him thrice and robbed him of R3000, RTGS$
2000 and US$300. The same gang is
suspected to have earlier the same day raided another local businessman from
the same suburb, Mr Walter Dhobha and his family at around 3AM and got away
with RTGS $800, R600 and US$20.
The victims of the two robberies said yesterday that they
are now living in fear. Mr Febian Gumbo, a brother to the shot businessman,
said he was in the same car with his younger brother when he was shot and
robbed.
He said as they approached their house, his younger brother
stopped to relieve himself.
“It seems these guys
had laid an ambush in the area because the area is bushy. When he was still
outside, they pounced on him, one of them tried to hit him with an iron bar but
he managed to dodge.
“The other robber then opened fire and shot him twice in
the stomach and once in the head. As we speak he is admitted to Bulawayo United
Hospitals (UBH) where he is recovering,” said Mr Gumbo.
He said as some members of the gang were attacking his
brother, others came to the car and pointed a gun at him ordering him to
surrender his wallet and cellphone.
Mr Gumbo said the group started searching the car and got
away with the money which was in the car.
“They got away with R3000, US$300 and $2 000 bond notes.
They also took away my cellphone, ID card and bank cards. We suspect that these
armed robbers are the same people who raided Dhobha and also invaded our home
twice on Wednesday and Thursday but failed to break into the house,” said Mr
Gumbo.
Mr Dhobha who lives just over a kilometre from the Gumbos’
house said the armed robbers broke into his bedroom through the window when he
was sleeping with his wife and tied his hands and legs before covering his face
with a cloth.
He said the robbers who had a gun, severely assaulted his
wife while demanding money.
“They entered
through our bedroom en-suite, one of them was carrying a torch and the one
armed with a gun was wearing a mask. They ordered me to lie on the ground. They
said they were here for the money not my life. They moved to my wife whom
they assaulted. They slapped her several times demanding to be shown where
the money is kept,” he said.
Mr Dhobha said his
wife finally gave in to their demands and they got away with RTGS$800 , R600
and US$20.
“I used to own
several kombis last year so maybe they thought the business was still viable
and I had a lot of money at home. But now I’m just a caretaker at the local
shops and I sell eggs. I now fear for my life and that of my family. My wife was brutally assaulted. They probably damaged one
of her eardrums as she is saying she cannot hear clearly,” he said.
Mr Dhobha said he
was however happy that the robbers did not hurt his children.
“They were speaking in isiNdebele saying omalume abatshayi
bantwana balande ukuzosebenza kuphela, so bangabangi umsindo (the uncles were
just here to work and will not hurt kids and therefore the children should not
make any noise).”
A comment could not immediately be obtained from the police
but they are on record urging the public to avoid keeping large sums of money
in their homes. Chronicle
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