News / Local
Byo criminal gang arrested again
06 Jan 2012 at 06:17hrs | Views
THE four men who were arrested last month for circulating fake notes with which they went on a buying spree around Bulawayo have been arrested once again for theft, assault and attempted murder, state controlled Chronicle reported.
Thabani Ndlovu (43), of Block 2/59666 Iminyela Flats, Johannes Ndlovu (29), of Block 7/9844 Iminyela Flats, Mark Dube (29), whose address was not given and Blessing Luzhi (27), of Block 16/4751 Mpopoma were initially arrested on 14 December after evading police for more than six months.
The four have been out of custody on varying amounts of bail for a total of 30 counts of fraud after initially appearing in court on 15 December.
Ndlovu, Johannes, Dube and Luzhi were arrested again last week after the complainants from whom they bought goods using fake notes opened fresh charges of theft, assault and attempted murder which they committed in the process.
The four were not formally charged when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja to answer to the charges.
They were all remanded in custody to 18 January.
For the State, Mr Tinashe Dzipe told the court that on 20 July, the quartet allegedly went to Ms Sukoluhle Ncube's house in Magwegwe and bought six strips of airtime recharge cards and six trays of eggs with a combined value of $51.
They paid using a fake $100 note and were given $49 change.
When Ms Ncube realised that the money was fake and tried to reason with them, the court heard that they teamed up and started assaulting her with fists and booted feet all over the body and fled from the scene.
She sustained a minor radical dislocation, swollen left wrist and severe pain on the left side of the waist.
On 9 September they went to Anastasia Gumbo of 16687 Nkulumane 12 with the intention of defrauding her using the same modus operandi.
While they were still calculating money using her phone, Ndlovu allegedly stole the phone and they went away with it.
On 22 November the four accused allegedly drove to Ms Regina Chirimbani's place of residence in New Luveve where they bought some goods using a counterfeit $100 note and were given change in real money.
When Ms Chirimbani realised the money was fake, they allegedly fled into their car and Ndlovu allegedly drove at high speed and in the process ran over her feet thereby injuring her.
They now face attempted murder charges after she sustained serious injuries.
It is suspected that hundreds of Bulawayo residents might have lost their hard-earned cash to the well orchestrated tactics of the alleged fraudsters who would buy goods using counterfeit $100 notes and get change in real money.
The suspected gang has been terrorising people for the past six months where they are alleged to have been driving around suburbs buying goods that included mostly dressed chicken, eggs, clothes and other basic commodities.
The court also ordered the four to restitute complainants the different amounts of money they defrauded them.
Thabani Ndlovu (43), of Block 2/59666 Iminyela Flats, Johannes Ndlovu (29), of Block 7/9844 Iminyela Flats, Mark Dube (29), whose address was not given and Blessing Luzhi (27), of Block 16/4751 Mpopoma were initially arrested on 14 December after evading police for more than six months.
The four have been out of custody on varying amounts of bail for a total of 30 counts of fraud after initially appearing in court on 15 December.
Ndlovu, Johannes, Dube and Luzhi were arrested again last week after the complainants from whom they bought goods using fake notes opened fresh charges of theft, assault and attempted murder which they committed in the process.
The four were not formally charged when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja to answer to the charges.
They were all remanded in custody to 18 January.
For the State, Mr Tinashe Dzipe told the court that on 20 July, the quartet allegedly went to Ms Sukoluhle Ncube's house in Magwegwe and bought six strips of airtime recharge cards and six trays of eggs with a combined value of $51.
They paid using a fake $100 note and were given $49 change.
When Ms Ncube realised that the money was fake and tried to reason with them, the court heard that they teamed up and started assaulting her with fists and booted feet all over the body and fled from the scene.
On 9 September they went to Anastasia Gumbo of 16687 Nkulumane 12 with the intention of defrauding her using the same modus operandi.
While they were still calculating money using her phone, Ndlovu allegedly stole the phone and they went away with it.
On 22 November the four accused allegedly drove to Ms Regina Chirimbani's place of residence in New Luveve where they bought some goods using a counterfeit $100 note and were given change in real money.
When Ms Chirimbani realised the money was fake, they allegedly fled into their car and Ndlovu allegedly drove at high speed and in the process ran over her feet thereby injuring her.
They now face attempted murder charges after she sustained serious injuries.
It is suspected that hundreds of Bulawayo residents might have lost their hard-earned cash to the well orchestrated tactics of the alleged fraudsters who would buy goods using counterfeit $100 notes and get change in real money.
The suspected gang has been terrorising people for the past six months where they are alleged to have been driving around suburbs buying goods that included mostly dressed chicken, eggs, clothes and other basic commodities.
The court also ordered the four to restitute complainants the different amounts of money they defrauded them.
Source - Chronicle
