News / Local
Toy-gun robbers arrested
06 Jun 2014 at 10:31hrs | Views
THREE Bulawayo men who went on a robbery spree using a toy gun ran out of luck after members of the public discovered their tricks and effected a citizen's arrest.
The amateur robbers, Francis Moyo, 30, his brother Nqabani, 23 and Telmore Muchinguri, 19, appeared before regional magistrate Crispen James Mberewere facing three counts of attempted robbery and one of armed robbery.
The trio successfully robbed Amaveni Primary School in Nkulumane where they got away with $50 and Ramridge Supermarket in the same suburb where they got nothing. They were apprehended while trying to rob an Eco-cash agent in Fourwinds suburb.
The alleged mastermind, Francis, received a thorough beating from an angry mob and had a swollen face and could barely walk up straight.
Prosecuting, Trust Mudume told how on May 28, the Moyo brothers went to Rumrich Supermarket where they tried to rob Nyaradzo Marevanhema of cash after producing a fake pistol and threatening to shoot her before demanding cash.
Marevanhema led them to the back office, which they ransacked but failed to get any money.
On the second charge, the court heard how on May 29, the two brothers went to Amaveni Primary where they joined a queue pretending to be parents who wanted to pay levies.
The duo stood behind one of the parents, Memory Moyo, who was making a payment of $25 to the bursar.
"As Moyo was making a payment, Francis produced a pistol demanding cash from her and the bursar Kudakwashe Rateyiwa, threatening to shoot them if they failed to comply with their demands," said Mudume.
Nqabani stood guard at the reception while Moyo and Rateyiwa handed over $50 and two Nokia X2 cellphones to Francis before they fled from the scene.
On May 30, the two brothers were joined by Muchinguri who provided his Nissan Sunny vehicle as a get away car in an attempted robbery at a business centre in Fourwinds.
"Nqabani approached an Eco-cash agent, Rachel Chiwara, in one of the shops pretending to be a client seeking to cash out $700. Francis followed him and produced a fake pistol before demanding money and threatening to shoot the complainant if she resisted.
"He reportedly hit Chiwara with his pistol on the left eye and pushed her out of the shop. She felt the impact of the toy gun as she fell down and screamed for help," said Mudume.
The brothers took $276 from the cash box and an Econet handset worth $15 and ran towards their get-away car with members of the public in pursuit.
Sensing danger, Muchinguri who was in the driver's seat, sped off leaving his accomplices at the mercy of the angry mob.
The duo were given a thorough hiding before they were handed over to the police who conducted a body search and recovered two black toy pistols, a Samsung handset, Blackberry, three Nokia X2 and Econet cellphones.
Muchinguri was later arrested in Nketa 8 and his Nissan Sunny was recovered. Nqabani and Muchinguri pleaded guilty to all the charges while Francis denied the two charges but pleaded guilty to the Amaveni robbery.
The trio is unemployed and was remanded in custody to Tuesday for sentencing.
The amateur robbers, Francis Moyo, 30, his brother Nqabani, 23 and Telmore Muchinguri, 19, appeared before regional magistrate Crispen James Mberewere facing three counts of attempted robbery and one of armed robbery.
The trio successfully robbed Amaveni Primary School in Nkulumane where they got away with $50 and Ramridge Supermarket in the same suburb where they got nothing. They were apprehended while trying to rob an Eco-cash agent in Fourwinds suburb.
The alleged mastermind, Francis, received a thorough beating from an angry mob and had a swollen face and could barely walk up straight.
Prosecuting, Trust Mudume told how on May 28, the Moyo brothers went to Rumrich Supermarket where they tried to rob Nyaradzo Marevanhema of cash after producing a fake pistol and threatening to shoot her before demanding cash.
Marevanhema led them to the back office, which they ransacked but failed to get any money.
On the second charge, the court heard how on May 29, the two brothers went to Amaveni Primary where they joined a queue pretending to be parents who wanted to pay levies.
The duo stood behind one of the parents, Memory Moyo, who was making a payment of $25 to the bursar.
"As Moyo was making a payment, Francis produced a pistol demanding cash from her and the bursar Kudakwashe Rateyiwa, threatening to shoot them if they failed to comply with their demands," said Mudume.
Nqabani stood guard at the reception while Moyo and Rateyiwa handed over $50 and two Nokia X2 cellphones to Francis before they fled from the scene.
On May 30, the two brothers were joined by Muchinguri who provided his Nissan Sunny vehicle as a get away car in an attempted robbery at a business centre in Fourwinds.
"Nqabani approached an Eco-cash agent, Rachel Chiwara, in one of the shops pretending to be a client seeking to cash out $700. Francis followed him and produced a fake pistol before demanding money and threatening to shoot the complainant if she resisted.
"He reportedly hit Chiwara with his pistol on the left eye and pushed her out of the shop. She felt the impact of the toy gun as she fell down and screamed for help," said Mudume.
The brothers took $276 from the cash box and an Econet handset worth $15 and ran towards their get-away car with members of the public in pursuit.
Sensing danger, Muchinguri who was in the driver's seat, sped off leaving his accomplices at the mercy of the angry mob.
The duo were given a thorough hiding before they were handed over to the police who conducted a body search and recovered two black toy pistols, a Samsung handset, Blackberry, three Nokia X2 and Econet cellphones.
Muchinguri was later arrested in Nketa 8 and his Nissan Sunny was recovered. Nqabani and Muchinguri pleaded guilty to all the charges while Francis denied the two charges but pleaded guilty to the Amaveni robbery.
The trio is unemployed and was remanded in custody to Tuesday for sentencing.
Source - chronicle
