News / National
Armed robbers break into church, get away with $30k
21 Nov 2014 at 06:03hrs | Views
HARARE - Three men who broke into a Glad Tidings Church building in Glen Norah B, Harare, in August this year and stole $30 000 in church offerings, a Harare Court heard were yesterday.
Prince Makodza (24), Knowledge Kamucheche (37) and Alouis Nyamadzawo (38) pleaded not guilty to the charge, but were convicted byHarare regional magistrate Hoseah Mujaya due to overwhelming evidence.
The fourth man, Aldrin Nyadzayo (30), was acquitted after the evidence led in court failed to link him to the offence.
Prosecutor Ephraim Zinyandu told the court that on August 4 this year, the trio connived with three other suspects to rob the church.
Pursuant of their plan, they proceeded to Glad Tidings church, where they forced their way into the building.
They used a metal object to attack the security guard, Micklas Vhareta (25), before handcuffing him.
The gang proceeded to the senior pastor's office where they stole a safe containing US$30 000 and documents and drove off in their get-away car.
Makodza was arrested on August 28 after police detectives received a tip-off and he implicated Nyamadzayo, who was subsequently arrested in Glen Norah B, while Kamucheche was arrested at a shopping centre in the suburb while driving a Mazda B2500. Although Nyamadzayo first attempted to flee when he spotted the detectives but was caught.
He tried to escape by jumping off a police vehicle when he was arrested and was shot in the process.
Kamucheche subsequently led detectives to Crowborough, where he led them to the safe which now had only the church documents after they had squandered the money.
The convicts will be sentenced today.
Prince Makodza (24), Knowledge Kamucheche (37) and Alouis Nyamadzawo (38) pleaded not guilty to the charge, but were convicted byHarare regional magistrate Hoseah Mujaya due to overwhelming evidence.
The fourth man, Aldrin Nyadzayo (30), was acquitted after the evidence led in court failed to link him to the offence.
Prosecutor Ephraim Zinyandu told the court that on August 4 this year, the trio connived with three other suspects to rob the church.
Pursuant of their plan, they proceeded to Glad Tidings church, where they forced their way into the building.
They used a metal object to attack the security guard, Micklas Vhareta (25), before handcuffing him.
The gang proceeded to the senior pastor's office where they stole a safe containing US$30 000 and documents and drove off in their get-away car.
Makodza was arrested on August 28 after police detectives received a tip-off and he implicated Nyamadzayo, who was subsequently arrested in Glen Norah B, while Kamucheche was arrested at a shopping centre in the suburb while driving a Mazda B2500. Although Nyamadzayo first attempted to flee when he spotted the detectives but was caught.
He tried to escape by jumping off a police vehicle when he was arrested and was shot in the process.
Kamucheche subsequently led detectives to Crowborough, where he led them to the safe which now had only the church documents after they had squandered the money.
The convicts will be sentenced today.
Source - The Herald
