News / National
Gold buyer dismisses gun crime claims
22 Jan 2021 at 06:34hrs | Views
THE Bulawayo gold dealer who stands accused of pulling out a gun in a dispute over a Honda Fit has claimed that he did not do such a thing but instead was robbed of US$30 000.
Police in Bulawayo were looking for Mr Leonard Ndlovu to answer to allegations that he pointed a pistol threatening to shoot a man for repossessing a Honda Fit which he had sold to the gold dealer who also owns a mine in Filabusi.
The incident allegedly took place on Monday at around 2PM at Much Binding intersection along Bulawayo-Gwanda Road in Worringham. Mr Ndlovu said he has since handed himself to the police to clear his name.
"I saw the story in Chronicle and I was surprised that I'm being looked for. I told my lawyer, to accompany me and we went to Bulawayo Central Police Station and they told me to come tomorrow (today)," said Mr Ndlovu.
He claimed that days before the incident, armed robbers stormed his mine and stole carbon he uses to extract gold. Mr Ndlovu believes that these two incidents are connected as the Honda Fit had US$30 000 and the two men who took the car are mum about the money.
"I think these guys are hijackers and since they are ex-police officers this is what they do. This pointing the gun issue I didn't do it. My main concern is that the money that was in the dashboard of that Honda Fit, they aren't saying anything. They are just quiet. I was stressed by the carbon that was stolen via an armed robbery at my mine in Filabusi. I'm going to press charges against them. I suspect they are the same people who committed the armed robbery at the mine," said Mr Ndlovu.
He said the Honda Fit was bought by Morris Manyani from Lebanon Tree Car Sales that is situated between 10th and 11th Avenue along George Silundika Street, in Bulawayo. Mr Ndlovu said Mr Manyani had not paid fully for the gold-coloured Honda Fit and at the same time owed him US$6 500.
"These gentlemen sold a car to a man who lives in Filabusi. This Morris fellow owed me a total of US$6 500. Morris then told me that he didn't have the money to pay back, so he would give me the car as payment. I took the car; he got an agreement of sale that was written and signed at Filabusi Police Station. I then gave it to a man who took care of me years ago in Esigodini named Mbodlomani Moyo as a gift," said Mr Ndlovu.
A receipt produced by Mr Ndlovu shows that Mr Manyani paid US$2 000 to Lebanon Tree Car Sales on Tuesday. He said the men travelled in a Toyota Runx to Esigodini and strong-armed Mr Moyo who was supposed to deliver his US$30 000 to Filabusi.
"Then these two men on January 18 they travelled to Esigodini using the Toyota Runx that had no number plates. They saw Mbodlomani at Habane Township with the car. He says they confronted him and he phoned me saying there were people who wanted to take the car. I told him not to give them and he should go to the police to report that they wanted to take the car.
"I had given Mbodlomani US$30 000 to deliver to Filabusi centre. Mbodlomani said to me that these two gentlemen strong-armed him and took the car, while he was in it and one of them drove the car towards Bulawayo," said Mr Ndlovu.
When he was at the tollgate outside Bulawayo along Esigodini Road, Mr Ndlovu said Mr Moyo disembarked, intending to report the men and they sped off. As this was happening, Mr Ndlovu said he was on his way towards Esigodini from Bulawayo and confronted the men near Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage.
"I got out of my car, and went to ask them what was happening and before I said anything the one driving the Honda Fit said to me mkoma Leonard. The one who was driving the Toyota Runx that had no number plates, started asking why was I pointing a firearm at them. I had not pulled it out.
"One of them started pushing and shoving me and I turned back and headed for my car and reported them at the road block at Umguza," said Mr Ndlovu. He said at the roadblock he showed the police his firearm and all its bullets.
Police in Bulawayo were looking for Mr Leonard Ndlovu to answer to allegations that he pointed a pistol threatening to shoot a man for repossessing a Honda Fit which he had sold to the gold dealer who also owns a mine in Filabusi.
The incident allegedly took place on Monday at around 2PM at Much Binding intersection along Bulawayo-Gwanda Road in Worringham. Mr Ndlovu said he has since handed himself to the police to clear his name.
"I saw the story in Chronicle and I was surprised that I'm being looked for. I told my lawyer, to accompany me and we went to Bulawayo Central Police Station and they told me to come tomorrow (today)," said Mr Ndlovu.
He claimed that days before the incident, armed robbers stormed his mine and stole carbon he uses to extract gold. Mr Ndlovu believes that these two incidents are connected as the Honda Fit had US$30 000 and the two men who took the car are mum about the money.
"I think these guys are hijackers and since they are ex-police officers this is what they do. This pointing the gun issue I didn't do it. My main concern is that the money that was in the dashboard of that Honda Fit, they aren't saying anything. They are just quiet. I was stressed by the carbon that was stolen via an armed robbery at my mine in Filabusi. I'm going to press charges against them. I suspect they are the same people who committed the armed robbery at the mine," said Mr Ndlovu.
He said the Honda Fit was bought by Morris Manyani from Lebanon Tree Car Sales that is situated between 10th and 11th Avenue along George Silundika Street, in Bulawayo. Mr Ndlovu said Mr Manyani had not paid fully for the gold-coloured Honda Fit and at the same time owed him US$6 500.
"These gentlemen sold a car to a man who lives in Filabusi. This Morris fellow owed me a total of US$6 500. Morris then told me that he didn't have the money to pay back, so he would give me the car as payment. I took the car; he got an agreement of sale that was written and signed at Filabusi Police Station. I then gave it to a man who took care of me years ago in Esigodini named Mbodlomani Moyo as a gift," said Mr Ndlovu.
A receipt produced by Mr Ndlovu shows that Mr Manyani paid US$2 000 to Lebanon Tree Car Sales on Tuesday. He said the men travelled in a Toyota Runx to Esigodini and strong-armed Mr Moyo who was supposed to deliver his US$30 000 to Filabusi.
"Then these two men on January 18 they travelled to Esigodini using the Toyota Runx that had no number plates. They saw Mbodlomani at Habane Township with the car. He says they confronted him and he phoned me saying there were people who wanted to take the car. I told him not to give them and he should go to the police to report that they wanted to take the car.
"I had given Mbodlomani US$30 000 to deliver to Filabusi centre. Mbodlomani said to me that these two gentlemen strong-armed him and took the car, while he was in it and one of them drove the car towards Bulawayo," said Mr Ndlovu.
When he was at the tollgate outside Bulawayo along Esigodini Road, Mr Ndlovu said Mr Moyo disembarked, intending to report the men and they sped off. As this was happening, Mr Ndlovu said he was on his way towards Esigodini from Bulawayo and confronted the men near Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage.
"I got out of my car, and went to ask them what was happening and before I said anything the one driving the Honda Fit said to me mkoma Leonard. The one who was driving the Toyota Runx that had no number plates, started asking why was I pointing a firearm at them. I had not pulled it out.
"One of them started pushing and shoving me and I turned back and headed for my car and reported them at the road block at Umguza," said Mr Ndlovu. He said at the roadblock he showed the police his firearm and all its bullets.
Source - chronicle
