Two more in court over spate of armed robberies

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

Two more suspects appeared in court yesterday over an alleged spate of armed robberies around Harare together with 11 other accomplices already on remand.

Thembinkosi Matutu (47) and Batsirai Hutsi (21) appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa who remanded them in custody to August 6 for their routine remand.

The State alleges the two were involved in a robbery that occurred on December 20, 2023.

They proceeded to manhandle the complainant in the kitchen.

They threatened to shoot him dead and demanded cash. They also struck him several times on his head with a machete and he became unconscious.

The accused persons then stole the complainant’s  iPhone Pro Max 13 and continued demanding for cash before he directed them to his motor vehicle which was parked in the garage where they stole cash amounting to US$16 000.

Total value stolen is US$19 800 and nothing was recovered.

Investigations carried out led to the arrest of Matutu in Epworth, who then implicated Hutsi.

He further indicated that the firearms they used were being kept by Hutsi.

Upon his arrest, Hutsi led detectives to his residence where a search was carried out leading to the recovery of a .38 special Smith and Wesson revolver serial number 722979 loaded with one live cartridge and a 9mm Llama pistol whose serial number was obliterated.

The two were earlier this year implicated in other robberies in which they allegedly teamed up with Owen Mbayi (37) and Simbarashe Vhazhure (33), Promise Mussa (36), Farai Chauke (38).

The other co-accomplices are Innocent Chawaguta (37) from Chihota, Tafadzwa Chirinda Charute (36) of Epworth, Tapiwa Chigwaze (39) from Domboshava, Winston Matizanadzo, (46) from Ruwa, Kamuriwo Mudziwaona a 39-year-old security guard at Timire Park, Ruwa, Old Windsor who are all in custody pending their trial commencement.