By A Correspondent | ZimEye | Two men from Chitungwiza and Mayambara Village in Seke have appeared in court Tuesday charged with armed robbery, with the State accusing them of robbing the in-laws of the controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo.
The two are Peter Mamba Vhiya, 39, and Takudzwa Maisvoreva, aged 24.
They were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa.
The magistrate remanded them in custody, advising them to seek bail at the High Court.
They will be back in court on April 4, jointly charged with another suspect who got arrested last week.
According to court papers, the two and their accomplices planned to rob the parents of Chivayo’s wife soon after they received lobola money from their son-in-law.
The parents stay at Alfa and Omega Farm in Marondera.
“Armed with three rifles, two pistols, bolt cutters, machetes, and iron bars, the suspects executed a well-coordinated attack.
“Upon arrival, they ambushed Petros Mabunhu, a security guard employed by DM Security, assaulting him with iron bars and kicking him repeatedly,” said the State.
It is alleged that they tied his hands and legs with cable ties before forcing him into the farmyard.
They then met another guard, Zex Mutasa Rusike, and disarmed him of his CBC shotgun without ammunition.
Rusike was also force-marched to the front guardroom, where a third guard, Medic Zhakata, was also attacked.
Two security guards were left under the watch of two armed accomplices while the rest of the gang broke into the main house.
Using bolt cutters, they forced entry through the burglar screen and kitchen door, eventually confronting Gerald Muteke in his bedroom.
Fearing for his life, Muteke surrendered USD18,000 in cash, a loaded Sarsilmaz pistol, and two Samsung smartphones (S23 and S24).
The gang then moved to Vimbai Muteke’s bedroom, where they demanded cash and the safe keys.
She handed over USD1,100, the safe key, and a Samsung Galaxy A35. Inside the main bedroom safe, the robbers took an additional USD55,000.
As the robbers continued their raid, Elphas Maruta, armed with a .303 rifle loaded with four rounds, advanced toward the house after being alerted to the robbery.
A shootout ensued, with Maruta firing two shots and the suspects firing back three shots.
“The gang ultimately fled the scene with a total of US$74,600 in cash and valuables. Police later recovered stolen property worth US$3,800.”