A police officer’s wife yesterday was dragged to court together with three armed robbers whom she is accused of supplying her husband’s uniforms and firearms while acting as their manager. Silethokuhle Nare (37) is jointly charged with Dominic Tichaona (35), Jabulani Nyoni (33), Wonder Mahuni (36), David Hausi (37) and Justice Ndlovu (33). They are facing armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearm charges.
Magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe remanded them in custody to November 9 for trial. Prosecutor Ms Sharon Mashavira alleged that sometime in October, Tichaona, Nyoni, Mahuni and Nare arranged with accomplices William Vry and Dennis Musochera to rob Charity Mbanje. Nare allegedly knew that Mbanje was to receive $14 000 between October 6 and 9 from members of a social round table club.
They hatched a plan. Nare allegedly stole two sets of her husband’s police uniforms and gave them to Musochera and Nyoni. It is alleged that on October 5 Nare showed the suspected armed robbers Mbanje’s house and how to execute their robbery. The following day, the suspected armed robbers pounced on Mbanje wearing police uniforms and armed with an FN pistol while the others wielded knives.
They threatened Mbanje and her family and force-marched her to her bedroom demanding the cash. They stole two Samsung Note 4 cellphones, Mobicel tablet and three cellphones. After failing to get the money, they allegedly locked Mbanje and her family in the house and fled.
On a separate occasion on October 25, Nare provided Tichaona and Mahuni with her Toyota Raum (registration number ADH 0955) to rob Ministry of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs chief accountant Morees Chalasa Mbewe.
Tichaona, Mahuni and Musochera teamed up and proceeded to Mbewe’s neighbourhood armed with an FN Browning pistol, Okapi knife and machete. They allegedly waited for him when he returned home and forced his family to lie down at gunpoint. They threatened to rape his wife and children if he failed to surrender cash.
They stole $2 560 and several valuables worth $1 960. After locking up the family, the accused slashed Mbewe’s vehicle tyres and fled.
Between September 28 and October 26, detectives received information of cases of armed robbers targeting fuel service stations. The information led to the arrest of Musochera, who was in possession of an unlicensed FN Browning pistol loaded with three rounds of ammunition.
He implicated Nare who had obtained the firearm from Wilfred Jaure and Tatenda Gadzikwa. Musochera lateranaged to escape from Machipisa Police Station custody and went to with his accomplices and this led to their arrest.
Nare is represented by her lawyer, Mr Tungamirai Chakurira. – State Media