By A Correspondent- Two fake police officers who were on a robbing spree were yesterday arraigned before the courts charged with armed robbery involving over US$40 000 and ZWL$50 000.
Dentist Chimanga, 43, and Tawanda Chirara, 35, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Learnmore Mapiye.
On the first count, they were referred to the High Court for bail application.
Prosecutor Sabastian Mutizirwa alleged that on September 19, the duo together with their accomplices who are still at large, approached the complainant who was parked at Mbare Musika and posed as detectives and produced their police identity cards before arresting him for illegal dealings in foreign currency and money laundering.
The two ordered the complainant to drive to Mbare Police Station and on their way, Chimanga ordered the complainant to stop near Rufaro Stadium and he took charge of the car after ordering the complainant to occupy the back seat.
The court heard that instead of driving to the police station, he diverted the route and indicated that they heard to drive to the complainant’s house to conduct a search then went to the house in Warren Park but they didn’t find any foreign currency.
It is further alleged that after the search they left the house and drove towards Sherwood road where Chirara produced an unidentified pistol and began demanding some money from the complainant threatening to shoot him.
The complainant later handed $3908 from his satchel but Chirara kept demanding more money prompting the complainant to call his wife who brought $2 300 from home but the armed robbers demanded another $20 000.
The complainant is believed to have called his brother who said he had only managed to get $14 000 and they met himin the CBD and after receiving the money, they drove to Rotten Row court where the robbers dropped off and ordered the complainant to drive away.
The complainant made a report and positively identified them after they had been arrested on other robbery charges.
On another charge of armed robbery, Chirara and Chimanga are being co-charged with Moses Nyavanhu, 42, in which the State is alleging that the trio approached Brian Soko and William Marara at Steward Bank Kwame Nkurumah where they intended to deposit US$37 3000.
The trio introduced themselves as police officers and produced police identity cards before making allegations that the two were under arrest for illegally dealing in foreign currency.
One of the trio handcuffed the complainants and led them into their getaway car then drove to Rhodesville Police and parked outside.
They then drove to a bushy area between Mabvuku and Epworth where upon arrival, they threatened the complainants with a gun and began assaulting them.
The court heard that the trio dumped the complainants and sped off with the US$30 300.
On another charge, Chirara and Chimanga are being co-accused with Cosamas Vheremu 49, in which the state is alleging that the trio approached the complainant at Eastlea shopping Center where he had taken his car for a wash.
The trio then advised the complainant that he was under arrest but didn’t disclose the offence, they later ordered him to take his satchel and get into his car before ordering him to drive to Harare Central Police.
The satchel had ZWL$14 729 and US$12 337.
They then ordered him to drive to Queensdale where they dumped him and sped off with the money.
-StateMedia