THREE suspected armed robbers, who recently raided three Bulawayo supermarkets and a resident robbing them of over $1 700 at gunpoint, were on Friday locked up in remand prison and advised to apply to the High Court for bail.
SILAS NKALA
Buzwani Nleya (44), Khumbulani Moyo (49) both of Lobengula West suburb and Ernest Mloyiswa (27) of Emganwini were not asked to plead to one count of attempted armed robbery and three counts of armed robbery when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Abednico Ndebele.
The magistrate remanded them in custody to August 30 and advised them to apply to the High Court for bail.
Prosecutor Marlvin Nzombe told the court that on August 2, the three in the company of Mandla Khumalo, still at large, went to Zamani Phiri’s residence in Pumula North, where they produced a 38 Special Taurus pistol demanding cash from her.
They fled before she could give them any thing after her husband, Davila arrived home and parked outside the gate. Phiri’s wife made a report at Pumula North police station after the suspects had fled.
The court further heard that on the same day, they went to Flex Steel Superette in Magwegwe at 7.45pm, where they forced the complainant, Tsenolo Nyathi, of Magwegwe West and other employees to lie down after producing a pistol.
They made away with $800 and R900 collected from the till. On August 4, they allegedly went to TZ Supermarket at 7.35pm, where they produced the pistol and ordered Noleen Simango of Burnside and everyone to lie down, before getting away with $650 they collected from the till.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Nleya also allegedly stabbed a security guard who tried to resist their orders, prompting him to run into the storeroom to hide.
On August 10 at 7pm, the three allegedly went to Saverite Supermarket in Magwegwe, where they produced a pistol and ordered Nothando Sibanda of Nkulumane and others to lie down before collecting $339,40 from the till.
On August 13 at 4am, police detectives, acting on a tip-off, went to Nleya and Moyo’s residence where they arrested them.
After their arrest, the two led the police to the kitchen where they had hidden the pistol and the knife they had used in committing the offences. They further implicated Mloyiswa, leading to his arrest. The 38 Special Taurus pistol was recovered loaded with four rounds of ammunition. Following their arrests, the complainants were called to view an identity parade. They all positively identified the accused. A total of $1 789, 40 and R900 had been stolen and nothing was recovered.
Twitter feedback @silasnkala.
