Lawyer remanded in custody for masterminding US$30,000 robbery

Senior law firm partner of Bonongwe and Partners, Elatone Bonongwe has been arrested on allegations of masterminding a robbery which saw his accomplices stealing over US$30,000 worth of property and cash from a Bindura home.

Bonongwe, (54), appeared before Bindura magistrate Chimangu who remanded him in custody and advised him to seek bail at the High Court.

The lawyer is being jointly charged with Musa Gandi, (42), Agness Kunaka, Raby Gwenya and Tafadzwa Obrey Chipashu.

Four other accomplices are reportedly still at large.

According to prosecutors, sometime in October, Bonongwe called his uncle, Gandi and asked him to assemble a team which could break into a home belonging to one Emson Chitsungo from Mt Darwin.

It is alleged he then led the suspects to Chitsungo’s home where he left them at midnight to perform the heist by scaling the security wall.

Whilst inside, they assaulted the complaints with iron bars, clapped them and burnt Chitsungo with a hot iron whilst demanding cash and other valuables.

The accused ransacked the whole house and stole various clothing, various electrical gadgets worth over US$20,000 and cash amounting to US$1,600.

The accused then went away driving towards Harare.

It is alleged that luck ran out for the suspects when they drove into a police roadblock on their way to Harare.

An attempt by police to search their vehicle saw the suspects escape on foot into the night darkness.

Police manning the roadblock fired warning shots forcing Gandi, Kunaka, Gwenya and Chipashu to give in while four other accomplices managed to escape.

Bonongwe was arrested on the following day after he was sold out by his alleged accomplices.