Security guards at Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa’s United Family International Church premises in Chitungwiza were recently robbed of goods worth $13 080 by three armed robbers.
Tapfumaneyi Muronzi (25), Edmore Bere (38) both of Mbare and Cephas Majoo (26) of Milton Park were yesterday convicted of the offence. They robbed the guards of various clothing items.
The three pleaded guilty to armed robbery charges when they appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Kudakwashe Jarabini. They were remanded in custody to December 3 for sentencing.
Prosecutor Ms Karen Kunaka told the court that on November 18 and at around 7.30pm, at the UFIC church premises at Makoni Shoppping Centre, Jonathan Makoni, who rents a shop at the church complex and owner of Mercy Fashions closed his shop and went home.
The gang pounced on Stephen Makuzva (62) of Unit G, who is employed as a security guard by Makoni. Makuzva was with his counterpart Arnold Mukaka (19) of Unit A who is employed by Zim Eye Security.
They struck the pair with an iron bar and they fell down unconscious. Muronzi, Majoo and Bere took Mukaka’s cellphone and tied the pair’s hands and legs using shoe laces. They then dragged them to the back of the shop and covered their heads with a broken sofa.
Muronzi and Majoo left Bere keeping an eye on the guards, while they forced their way into the shop. They took away various clothing items, a cellphone belonging to Mukaka and loaded them into a pushcart at the back of the shop.
The gang hid the loot and went to hire a taxi to carry the stuff. Another guard, Staben Tatenda Chitowa then rescued the pair and reported the matter to the police. After a while, the guards came back with armed police and traced the marks of the cart leading them to where the loot was hidden.
The robbers, who were in a taxi came back to retrieve the contraband and police fired warning shots forcing the driver to stop the car. Muronzi and Majoo escaped leaving Bere and the driver in the car.
Muronzi and Majoo were later arrested at a girlfriend’s place in Unit N. Muronzi and Bere denied another count of robbing Mukaka of a cellphone, which Majoo admitted. The Herald
