Taxi driver foils robbery bid

Source: Taxi driver foils robbery bid | The Herald November 7, 2019

Geraldine Zaranyika Herald Reporter
A Harare man appeared in court yesterday on allegations of robbing a taxi driver after posing as a customer. Velton Tinashe Makufa (26) appeared before Harare magistrate, Mrs Victoria Mashamba, facing one count of robbery.
He was remanded in custody to today for bail application.

Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti alleged that on Sunday, November 3, Gift Gera parked his motor vehicle at Holly’s Night Club waiting for customers.

Makufa, who was in the company of his two accomplices — Piason and Tafadzwa — who are still at large, approached Gera and hired him to Coronation Road, Greendale, in Harare, and agreed on a US$5 fare.
Simbarashe Mushango, Gera’s employer, was sleeping in the boot of the motor vehicle.

Gera drove to Coronation area as directed by Makufa.
It is the State’s case that upon arrival at a Greendale house, Makufa instructed Gera to stop, purporting to have arrived.
As the motor vehicle stopped, one of the gang members who was on the back seat grabbed Gera by the neck and produced a knife and instructed him to comply with their instructions.

Makufa jumped onto the driver’s seat and drove the vehicle while Piason and Tafadzwa pulled Gera to the back.
Gera resisted and started wrestling with his assailants.
The noise awakened Mushango, who was asleep in the boot.

The two accomplices, who are still at large, ran away leaving Makufa, who was on the driver’s seat.
Gera, with the assistance of Mashango, effected a citizens’ arrest on Makufa and took him to Harare Central Police Station.