Presidential Guard trio up for $21k robbery
By Tarisai Machakaire
Three Presidential Guard soldiers reportedly connived with a Harare woman before pouncing on a businessman, subduing him to surrender $21 000.
Ekem Zvomuuya, 34, Nabal Prosper Moyo, 24, and Innocent Mutimutema, 25, were charged with robbery when they appeared before Harare magistrate Tilda Mazhande yesterday.
They are all employed at One Presidential Guard under the Zimbabwe National Army in Harare.
The trio is jointly charged with Mildred Makoto, who has already been placed on remand over the same allegations.
According to State papers, Makoto is employed at Tehila Day Care Centre in Glaudina in Harare.
Prosecutor Idah Maromo alleged that on January 23 around 7pm, Makoto, Zvomuuya, Moyo and Mutimutema hatched a plan to rob Tawanda Zeze at 25 Casterns Road in Belvedere in Harare.
The court heard that two of the soldiers wore full army regalia and approached Zeze, telling him they wanted to interview him about his operations at More Than Conquerors Trust Organisation.
It was alleged that Makoto and her gang dragged Zeze into his bedroom claiming they wanted to conduct a search.
While inside, the court heard, Zeze was ordered to open an in-built safe and he complied. The gang seized $21 000 that was stashed inside and also got away with three smart phones.
One of the accused persons then blindfolded Zeze with a towel and force-marched him out of the house to the gate.
Makoto and her accomplices had a gate-away vehicle parked outside the gate and forced Zeze inside before driving from the scene.
Along the way, Zeze was forced to disclose his EcoCash pin for one of his mobile phone lines and he complied.
They later dropped him off along Fisher Road in Borrowdale East and fled from the scene.
Makoto and her accomplices later transferred $527 from Zeze’s EcoCash account into different accounts.
The total value stolen is $21 713 and nothing was recovered.
Makoto was positively identified by money changers in a ID parade by dealers she had transferred money to from Zeze’s EcoCash account.
She also led police to the recovery of a Toyota Ipsum station wagon that was used during the offence. DailyNews
