By Nqobile Tshili
An inyanga-cum-prophet from Bulawayo allegedly armed himself with a gun and ganged up with two friends to raid his client’s home in Mzilikazi suburb in a revenge mission after “not being paid for services rendered.”
The trio got away with US$500 and household property that includes a plasma television set, an open view decoder, two Ipad tablets, a microwave and a wrist watch.
Robertson Khulekani Koti (29) from Nketa 9 suburb in cahoots with Frond Mbiba (39) from Old Luveve and Mthulisi Brighton Mpofu (39) of Emganwini suburb pounced on Mr Donwell Chinara’s home at Ntabazinduna Flats at about 10AM on Wednesday.
Mr Chinara, a mechanic who specialises in fixing Mercedes Benz vehicles, said the trio tricked him into getting out of his house by calling him to attend to a broken-down vehicle in Ilanda suburb while they made their way to his home.
“They came to my house on Wednesday at 10AM just after I had left the house upon receiving a distress call from someone who said his vehicle had broken down in Ilanda.
“But when I started calling the number for directions the person was no longer responding to my calls. I then drove to my offices in Belmont.
“Moments later I received a phone call from neighbours telling me that there were some people who were taking property from my house. I later discovered that the suspects were the ones who phoned me,” said Mr Chinara.
He said he rushed home to find the daring robbers gone.
Mr Chinara said he heard with horror how the suspects threatened to shoot the family’s house keeper to prevent her from alerting neighbours of the ongoing robbery.
“Our maid told us that the suspects claimed they were cops who wanted to recover a gun they suspected I owned. They forcefully entered the house and ransacked it.
“One of them demanded to be led to my bedroom where they covered the maid with a blanket. She tried to scream and they produced a gun and threatened to shoot her if she made any noise.
“They got away with US$500 that was in the bedroom and Ipads for my children among other belongings,” he said.
The trio allegedly claimed they were on a mission to fix Mr Chinara for not paying them for their services.
Mr Chinara dismissed those claims saying he did not know the traditional healer who upon arrest was found with a two-metre python skin.
“I am a specialist in fixing Mercedes Benz cars. I’ve been in this business for 20 years. My business is doing well so I don’t need anyone to assist me in my business. Although I have never met the said prophet (inyanga), he knows my relative as he was assisting her to deal with a court case involving her brother in South Africa. Actually, he did this fully knowing that my relative is in South Africa attending to that case. I only know the other guy from Emganwini in passing,” said Mr Chinara.
Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube could not comment on the matter.
However, police sources close to the investigation said the suspects were arrested resulting in the recovery of most of the stolen property.
“The three are now facing a robbery charge while Koti will face a further charge after he was found with a two-metre skin of a python that falls in the category of an endangered animal,” said the source. The Chronicle
