ONE of the five suspected armed robbers who allegedly robbed Amtec Motors of cash and airtime vouchers in December 2012 had his testicles ripped off after he was shot in the abdomen by police detectives in a raid, according to his defence records. SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER
Robson Senzewayo (24) of Entumbane, Webson Sibanda (27) and Surprise Phiri both of Gwabalanda, yesterday appeared before Bulawayo regional court magistrate Mark Dzira and were represented by lawyer Tungamirai Nyengera.
Their alleged accomplice Clever Nengomasha is still at large while Peace Mutema is now deceased.
The three pleaded not guilty to armed robbery charges and were remanded to April 14 for judgment.
However, their lawyer Nyengera filed papers at the High Court seeking an investigation into the shooting of Senzewayo and Phiri during their arrest.
The papers also claimed that Senzewayo’s testicles were ripped off when he was shot.
Sibanda told the court that detectives confiscated $400 and R55 000 during the arrest, but the money had never been produced in court as an exhibit.
“I was thinking since the police took the money it will be brought to court as evidence,” he said.
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When prosecutor Goodluck Katenaire asked him why he did not question detective sergeant Lloyd Gumbo during cross examination about the money, Sibanda said he did not know the law and hoped their lawyer would quiz him.
He said they were constantly assaulted while in detention making it difficult to raise any issues with the police. Sibanda denied knowing Senzewayo.
Phiri also corroborated Sibanda’s testimony saying detectives had taken $400 and R33 000 from them as well as R22 000 from his mother Rose Phiri.
He also denied knowing Senzewayo.
Senzewayo denied leading the police to Sibanda and Phiri’s residences.
“I had been shot. How would I have led them to the two places when I was lying unconscious in hospital?
“I do not know the two accused and we even fight in prison over how I implicated them when I did not know them prior to our arrest,” Senzewayo told the court.
State allegations are that the three connived to rob Amtec Motors’ Total Service Station in Bulawayo on December 9 2012.
They allegedly went to the service station at around 7.40pm in a Toyota Corolla driven by Senzewayo and dropped his accomplices 50m away from the garage so they could proceed on foot.
Senzewayo reportedly parked at a distance and Sibanda, Phiri, Nengomasha and Mutema masqueraded as genuine customers when the attendants were preparing to count the cash.
Sibanda allegedly approached one of the attendants from behind telling him that they were armed at the same time prodding him with a pistol on the back.
The attendant tried to resist and threw the cash he had behind the counter. Mutema allegedly stood on guard at the door and Phiri allegedly jumped behind the counter and took $150 from the till, $458 thrown by the attendant, 191x$1 Econet and 414x$1 Telecel recharge cards.
They also allegedly took a Vodafone cellphone worth $100 and LG cellphone worth $40.
Nengomasha allegedly searched one attendant and took $797 before they force marched them into a storeroom where they locked them in before fleeing.
Detectives were tipped off that the stolen recharge cards had been used by Senzewayo for his Telecel line and they tracked and arrested him. He allegedly implicated Sibanda and Phiri.
