Trio nabbed while trying to rob Zimparks

News
3 men attempted to rob the Zimparks offices at the corner 15th Avenue and Joshua Nkomo Street, were foiled after a senior ranger wrestled with one of them and dispossessed him of the rifle, leading to their arrest.

THREE men who armed themselves with an AK 47 assault rifle and attempted to rob the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) offices at the corner 15th Avenue and Joshua Nkomo Street, were foiled after a senior ranger wrestled with one of them and dispossessed him of the rifle, leading to their arrest.

SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER

This was heard by Bulawayo magistrate Takundwa Witness Mtetwa on Tuesday when Mduduzi Ndlovu (31) of Geneva in Gwanda, Learnmore Gona (30) of Sauerstown in Bulawayo and Thabolwethu Mlanzi (31) of Habane in Esigodini, appeared in court facing an attempted robbery charge.

The three were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody to May 20.

The court heard that on May 1 at around 4pm, the three and another man still at large, went to the Zimparks offices and approached senior ranger Godfrey Munkuli who was manning the reception.

Ndlovu then pulled out an AK 47 rifle from his bag and pointed it at Munkuli with his accomplices threatened him with death.

They attempted to rob him of rhino horns stored in the offices, but Munkuli fought back and managed to disarm Ndlovu while screaming for help.

Other officials at the department intervened and assisted Munkuli in arresting the three.

The rifle loaded with nine rounds of ammunition was confiscated.