Two suspected armed robbers who were nabbed in Marondera after they broke into a Versface Investments director’s car which was parked in Mutare’s city centre and went away with $40 000 cash, have appeared in court.

Philip Chirinda (35) and Joseph Ruwona (29) appeared before Mutare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe charged with robbery.

Prosecutor Mr Chris Munyuku alleged that on March 21 this year, Versface Investments director Mr Geofrey Ngonyama collected money from his office and drove to his friend, Resistance Mundembe’s workplace at Big Bite Investments in Mutare.

Reports are that Ngonyama and Mundembe exchanged cash while seated in a car.

Chirinda and Ruwona then spotted the two while counting the money.

Reports are that Ngonyama drove to a carpentry shop where he also collected $5 000 and drove to Old Sasu Hospital.

The two suspected robbers are said to have started tracking Ngonyama from the time he left Mundembe’s workplace.

The court heard that Chirinda and Ruwona then broke into Ngonyama’s car when he was parked at Old Sasu Hospital after collecting the money from a carpentry shop.

They allegedly stole $40 000 and drove away. Ngonyama is said to have been alerted of the robbery by his car’s alarm and made a chase.

Ngonyama is said to have almost caught up with the two suspects at Christmas Pass after a high-speed chase, but was forced to abandon the pursuit by gunshots fired by the two.

It is the State’s case that Ngonyama went to lodge a complaint at Mutare Central Police who then alarted Rusape and Marondera police.

Chirinda and Ruwona were intercepted in Marondera, leading to their arrest. One of their accomplices escaped and is still at large.

State Media