‘Woman hires thugs to rob boyfriend’

By Codelia Mondela

A BULAWAYO woman was allegedly caught on CCTV camera swiping for groceries with her boyfriend’s ATM card after she sent three men to rob him while they were at a local club.

Precious Moyo (21) who was drinking beer with her boyfriend Mr Ndabezinhle Hlongwane (30) at Club 263 in the city’s Central Business District, vanished from the club without saying a word.

A few minutes later, a court heard, three men allegedly appeared and dragged Mr Hlongwane outside. They allegedly robbed him of $30, cell-phone, national identity, medical and ATM cards.

The following morning Mr Hlongwane went to his bank to block the card and discovered that more than $263 had been withdrawn from his account.

The value of the stolen property and cash is $716.

The court heard that Moyo who pretended not to know the robbers, helped Mr Hlongwane to make a police report.

Mr Hlongwane was stunned when CCTV footage showed his girlfriend pushing a trolley full of groceries and swiping for them at a 24-hour outlet in the city, barely two hours after he was robbed.

Moyo pleaded not guilty to incitement to commit robbery and theft charges before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove.

The magistrate remanded her in custody to June 18.

Moyo said she did not steal her boyfriend’s ATM card but he had given it to her.

“I guess he was drunk and can’t remember that he gave me his pin code,” said Moyo.

For the State, Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza said Moyo and Mr Hlongwane were drinking beer at Club 263 on April 5 this year at around 2AM when Moyo suddenly vanished and three men appeared.

The prosecutor said the trio grabbed Mr Hlongwane and forcibly pulled him outside where they searched and assaulted him. They allegedly stole his cell-phone worth $180, national identity card, medical aid card, $30 and an ATM card.

“The following day Mr Hlongwane went to Agribank to block his stolen card and discovered that $263 which was in his account had been withdrawn,” he said.

“He suspected his girlfriend to be the chief architect of the robbery. The reason for the suspicion was that Moyo was the only person who knew his bank account pin prior to his attack.

“Investigations were carried out to ascertain how Mr Hlongwane’s money was withdrawn and it was discovered that his ATM card was used to swipe for groceries.”

Mr Jaravaza said Moyo took the ATM card from the three men after the robbery and went on to swipe for goods with it.

“CCTV footage showed her buying groceries valued at $263 at Broadway Spar,” he said. The Chronicle