HARARE - Two Chitungwiza men suspected of being behind a spate of armed robberies committed around Harare have been hauled before the courts.
Rodrick Mutaurwa, 28, of 2332 Unit B, Seke Chitungwiza and Jonathan Mudzongo, 30, from Ziko area in Seke communal lands Chitungwiza appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei facing two counts of armed robbery.
They were remanded in custody to July 18 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Prosecutor Sabastian Mutizirwa alleged that on May 13 this year, around 8pm, Mutaurwa and three accomplices who are still at large approached Mudzongo an ex-Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) employee so that he could supply fake registration numbers for Mutaurwa’s car.
The motor vehicle would then be used to commit robberies around Harare.
They were given a set of fake registration plates and drove to the first complainant Salim Patel’s house armed with a machete, pepper spray and an unidentified gun.
The accused persons scaled the precast wall before entering the house through an unlocked kitchen door where they found Patel’s wife preparing supper.
Mutaurwa and others threatened to kill Patel’s wife and led her to the sitting room where her husband was relaxing.
One of the accused persons forcibly removed Patel’s wife’s ring and necklace before assaulting her with a knife and demanded cash amounting $27 000.
Mutaurwa and his accomplices then led Patel and his wife to their bedroom where they tied them up before leaving the house.
On May 13, the accused persons went to Muhammad Yasin Latin and entered the house through an unlocked kitchen door.
They assaulted Latin using machetes and threatened him with death.
Simon Kango, who is Latin’s gardener, arrived at the house and was intercepted by one of the accused persons while strolling to his quarters. He was also forced into the house where he was tied together with his boss.
Accused persons then took cash and jewellery valued at $2 000.
Mutaurwa was arrested on June 30 and implicated Mudzongo, Donald Sibanda, Timmy and Busani.
He also led detectives to the recovery of broken fake registration number plates which were used to commit the offence.