Zimparks suspected robbers in court

By The Standard and Newsday | Jun. 30, 2014

THREE suspected armed robbers who descended on the Zimbabwe Parks and Wild-Life Management Authority (Zimparks) offices in Bulawayo armed with an AK 47 rifle trying to rob them of rhino horns in May, appeared in court last week to answer charges of armed robbery.

The three allegedly tried to rob the Zimparks offices at the corner of 15th Avenue and Joshua Nkomo Street last month, but their gun was wrestled away from them by a senior ranger.

The suspects, Mduduzi Ndlovu (31) of Geneva in Gwanda, Learnmore Gona (30) of Sauerstown, Bulawayo and Thabolwethu Mlanzi (31) of Habane, Esigodini, appeared before Bulawayo Regional Court magistrate Trinos Wutawashe and denied the charge.

Prosecutor Robin Mukura called State witness Sergeant Dennis Mature who arrested the three suspects. He told the court that he was on patrol on the day in question when an informer told him that some people were trying to rob the Zimparks offices.

Mature said witnesses told him that Ndlovu was apprehended after being blocked by a car while running away while his colleagues were apprehended at the Zimparks office before they could attempt to flee.

Wutawashe remanded the case to August 26.

The State said that on May 1 2014 at around 4pm, the three in the company of three others still at large, went to the Zimparks offices in the city centre and approached senior ranger Godfrey Munkuli who was manning the reception.

Ndlovu pulled out an AK 47 rifle from his bag and pointed it at Munkuli demanding rhino horns stored at the offices. Munkuli fought with them and managed to disarm Ndlovu while screaming for help.