Students horror as armed robbers strike at university

THREE armed robbers allegedly pounced at Great Zimbabwe University's Zimdef girls hostels in Masvingo, tied up a security guard before getting away with laptops worth several hundred United States, police confirmed.

Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula could neither confirm nor deny the incident.

"It is not to my knowledge. I am going to check for you," said Insp Mazula.

However, according to GZU students who preferred anonymity the incident happened on Thursday last week at around 12 midnight. The suspects disappeared after committing the crime.

"The suspects proceeded to the Zimdef Campus near Masvingo Polytechnic where some of the girls from Faculty of Education and Natural Sciences stay. The trio approached a security who was manning the campus gate before threatening to shoot him," said a student.

Another visibly shaken female student said the suspects tied the security guard whose name was not given and ordered him to direct them to the girls hostels.

"They tied his hands before ordering him to direct them to our hostels where we were fast asleep. Upon arriving, they ordered him to instruct us open our doors. They used him because we are familiar with his voice and if it was someone else, we could have not opened," she said.

"We opened the doors thinking that it was the security guard who wanted something, only to be taken aback by the sight of armed men. They entered three rooms and we were three girls in each room," she said.

Another student said the suspects ordered everyone to lie down before ransacking their rooms.

"We were ordered to lie down after which they searched our rooms and got away with three laptops and two smart phones. One of the robbers grabbed my roommate outside and I am sure they wanted to rape her but she screamed. After raising alarm, the trio disappeared into darkness," she said.

The security guard was then untied with the help of the University staff and students after which a report was made at Rujeko police base.