Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
Three armed robbers from Binga established a bush camp in Hopefountain, on the outskirts of Bulawayo, where they executed a series of brazen attacks on local shopkeepers and residents.
Their spree of terror was abruptly halted thanks to a swift police operation.
Billiat Mumpande (20) from Sinamagonde, along with a 16-year-old juvenile, were arrested for their involvement in the robberies that occurred on October 17 and 18. The third suspect, Tedious Dube, remains at large.
On the evening of October 17, a 48-year-old man was at his workplace when the robbers approached him under the guise of making genuine inquiries. Armed with pellet guns, Mumpande and the juvenile, along with Dube, quickly escalated the situation. They threatened the complainant, forcing him into his room where they ordered him to sit down.
“They rifled through his pockets, seizing US$413 and his Huawei cellphone,” a police report stated.
The robbers then ransacked the room, stealing a solar panel before locking the complainant inside and taking the keys with them.
The following morning, on October 18, a 28-year-old woman opened her shop for business. As she prepared for customers, the owner arrived to conduct a stock take. Moments later, while they were engaged in conversation, the three robbers entered the shop, posing as customers. One of them handed over US$3 and requested a loaf of bread and a 2-liter bottle of Coke. When the shopkeeper informed them that their money was insufficient, Dube drew his okapi knife, threatening her and demanding cash.
Dube leapt over the counter, threatening the owner while searching the shelves. He seized US$430 from the shelf, US$60 from a biscuit container, a 750ml bottle of Viceroy, four 100ml bottles of Mayfair beer, a 750ml Cape Real spirit, and the shopkeeper’s Itel cellphone.
He then slapped a customer on the forehead and stole her Samsung Galaxy cellphone before all three fled the scene.
In a statement, Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said,
“The police were alerted, and upon investigating the shop, they discovered that the robbers had been hiding in a local bush camp.”
A community member had spotted them in the area, which led to a swift police response. Officers quickly located and arrested Mumpande and the juvenile at their hideout, recovering a black bag containing a pellet gun, a black and red satchel, and the stolen solar panel.
The total value of stolen items amounted to US$1,132, but only US$10 was recovered. The police commended the local community for their assistance in fighting crime and urged anyone with information on the whereabouts of Tedious Dube to report to the nearest police station.
Zim GBC News©2024