HARARE - Two men allegedly used a pair of hand cuffs and a pistol to steal a car in Harare.
Lephan Mwanza Dube, 36, Tsungai Makombe, 25, appeared before Harare magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe on Friday charged with robbery.
They were remanded in custody to today for continuation of trial.
Prosecutor Tungamirai Chakurira alleged that on March 27 this year, Dube and Makombe connived with Takura Nyakusindwa, who is still at large to steal vehicles.
They were armed with a revolver and a pair of handcuffs. Dube, Makombe and Nyakusindwa approached Rutendo Peter Mukanya at corner Mbuya Nehanda and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in Harare.
Mukanya was driving a white Toyota Raum when Dube and Nyakusindwa hired him on the pretext that they were going to Harare Central Police Station.
Makombe followed them in their getaway Jeep Cherokee.
Nyakusindwa produced the pistol while in Mukanya’s vehicle and threatened to shoot him. He ordered him to drive to Waterfalls.
When they reached Simon Mazorodze and Willowvale Road intersection, Mukanya was forced to move to the back seat while one of the accused persons took control of the vehicle.
Dube and Nyakusindwa drove to the Zupco garage where they stopped the vehicle and seized Mukanya’s cell phones, driver’s licence and $66 before speeding off.
After robbing the complainant, Dube, Nyakusindwa and Makombe regrouped and drove the stolen vehicle to Sanyati Growth Point in Kadoma.
They reportedly withdrew $30 from Dube’s
EcoCash account. They were later spotted in the stolen motor vehicle by police officers.
The court heard efforts to apprehend the accused persons were fruitless.
The stolen vehicle was later recovered, abandoned in a bushy area near Gokwe after being involved in an accident.
On April 2 this year, detectives from CID Vehicle Theft Squad Harare, acting on a tip off, waylaid accused persons and subsequently arrested Dube and Makombe.