News / National
Mentally disabled man arrested for armed robbery
26 May 2012 at 21:59hrs | Views
A suspected mentally ill man has been arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and four counts of armed robbery of motor vehicles.
Dereka Felix Katenha (50) was not asked to plead this week when he appeared in separate courts before regional magistrates Clever Tsikwa and Estere Chivasa respectively.
He was remanded in custody in terms of the Mental Health Act to June 8 and 11.
"His behaviour does not appear to be normal and he has to be examined by two doctors in terms of the Mental Health Act," Tsikwa said.
Allegations against Katenha are that on May 2, acting in cahoots with Rusty January (19) and Marko Chingoma (29), approached one of the complainants, Petros Mhlanga, at an open space off Airport Road in Hatfield.
They allegedly used violence and robbed Mhlanga of his Toyota Starlet vehicle and a mobile phone.
The court heard that on the same day, the three allegedly went to Londoners Sports Club in Strathaven where they used the same modus operandi to steal a BMW vehicle and a mobile phone belonging to Muchineripi Dembedza. It is also alleged that they proceeded to Belvedere along Edmunds Street where they used violence against Talent Mhondiwa before robbing him of his Honda Fit. They also reportedly went to the intersection of Kirkman Road and Harare Drive where they are said to have robbed Tinashe Makina of his Mazda Axela, $220 and grocery valued at $39.
The court heard that on Friday last week, two detectives who were on surveillance patrol in Kambuzuma received a tip-off that Katenha had a firearm. They trailed a commuter omnibus and arrested him, before recovering a .38 Special Taurus Brazil revolver with five live rounds of ammunition.
Dereka Felix Katenha (50) was not asked to plead this week when he appeared in separate courts before regional magistrates Clever Tsikwa and Estere Chivasa respectively.
He was remanded in custody in terms of the Mental Health Act to June 8 and 11.
"His behaviour does not appear to be normal and he has to be examined by two doctors in terms of the Mental Health Act," Tsikwa said.
Allegations against Katenha are that on May 2, acting in cahoots with Rusty January (19) and Marko Chingoma (29), approached one of the complainants, Petros Mhlanga, at an open space off Airport Road in Hatfield.
They allegedly used violence and robbed Mhlanga of his Toyota Starlet vehicle and a mobile phone.
The court heard that on the same day, the three allegedly went to Londoners Sports Club in Strathaven where they used the same modus operandi to steal a BMW vehicle and a mobile phone belonging to Muchineripi Dembedza. It is also alleged that they proceeded to Belvedere along Edmunds Street where they used violence against Talent Mhondiwa before robbing him of his Honda Fit. They also reportedly went to the intersection of Kirkman Road and Harare Drive where they are said to have robbed Tinashe Makina of his Mazda Axela, $220 and grocery valued at $39.
The court heard that on Friday last week, two detectives who were on surveillance patrol in Kambuzuma received a tip-off that Katenha had a firearm. They trailed a commuter omnibus and arrested him, before recovering a .38 Special Taurus Brazil revolver with five live rounds of ammunition.
Source - Byo24news
