5 robbers-cum-rapists in court

Source: 5 robbers-cum-rapists in court – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

FIVE suspected armed robbers, who raped two women after robbing them, appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court on Saturday where they were remanded in custody to January 21.

The five, Tinashe Muguti (32), Fanuel Mutero (40), Tafadzwa Marondera (24), Malvern Magumura (32) and Rundikani Rundikani (35) were facing robbery and rape charges when they appeared before magistrate Yeukai Chigodora.

Allegations were that on May 10 last year, the robbers stormed the first victim’s Chitungwiza home armed with machetes and firearms and robbed her of US$1 550 and household goods worth US$500 and $70 000 before raping her.

The following day, they broke into the second victim’s house in Chitungwiza and stole US$400, mobile phones and groceries.

After ransacking the house, they raped one of the female occupants.

On May 12, the accused ransacked another Chitungwiza house after introducing themselves as police officers and accused a man they met at the door of illegally photocopying textbooks for resale.

They assaulted him and stole US$7 000 and phones.

During the robbery, the complainant’s eight-year-old son sneaked out of the house and alerted neighbours who teamed up and cornered the robbers, but were forced to retreat after the accused fired warning shots.

The robbers later fled the scene, but neighbours effected a citizen’s arrest on two of them and handed them over to the police, leading to their accomplices’ arrest.