THE 11 gun-toting armed robbers who reportedly terrorised the farming town of Karoi in a spate of robberies and a break-in appeared in court on Monday and were remanded in custody to September 26, 2022.
The 11, who briefly appeared before Karoi magistrate Jessie Kufa, were not asked to plead.
Prosecutor Pazvichaenda Valeri Munakira told the court that the accused were part of a gang that rampaged the town between April 2021 and September 2022, robbing businesses and farmers at gunpoint.
The suspects are Gift Asafu (29), Goodness Gandiwa (36), Kudakwashe Kapesa (24), Taurai Musindo (23), Tapera Zimbapeni (22), Onias Matangi (47), Evans Milanzi (24), Jimmy Dzokamushure (49), Addition Chagadama (22), Jeremy Nyakujara (27) and Nicholas Samuel (22).
Kapesa is believed to be the gang leader, together with one Charles Phiri, who is still at large.
They are facing nine counts of armed robbery, and one of unlawful entry.
‘‘On 28 December 2021, part of the suspects went to Energy Park Service Station around 21 00 hours where they robbed the manager at gunpoint. They tied the manager Samson Mlambo and his wife Tendai Murise. The two who were stuck naked during the raid were tied with a rope and Mlambo was struck on the head with an iron bar. The suspects got the safe keys and went away with US$51 500 before driving away in VW Golf car belonging to Mlambo,’’ the court heard.
On another count, the accused persons went to Brockley Farm where they allegedly attacked three security guards before stealing various agricultural inputs and 17,5 tonnes of soyabeans valued at US$80 000.
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Indications made over the weekend revealed that they also robbed a local businesswoman of US$20 000 at gunpoint.
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