Zvikomborero Parafini
THREE Runwave Petroleum Service Station employees used iron bars, matchets and dynamites as they staged a spectacular robbery at their work place
The three — Luckson Tsoka, Colleen Maweni and Norest Chimbumu — connived with their workmates, who were employed as fuel attendants, to gang up and rob their work place.
The trio has since been nabbed and appeared before magistrate Appolonia Marutya yesterday where they were not asked to plead.
Armed with iron bars and machetes, they attacked the guard, who was on duty and tied him up, before they started demanding to know where the money was.
The court heard that they entered the room where the safe was being kept and blasted it using dynamite.
They stole US$56 000 that was in the safe and fled from the scene.
According to the State, there are WhatsApp messages of the trio, and their accomplices who are at large, planning the robbery.
The police also recovered messages from their phones showing how they were planning to buy cars using the loot from the robbery.
Meanwhile, three family members and their friend appeared before magistrate Donald Ndirowei charged with armed robbery.
Brain Madzima, Lameck Madzima, Tatenda Madzima and Roman Badza were not asked to plead when they appeared in court yesterday.
The court heard that the quartet teamed up to rob Walter Chorosi.
They were allegedly armed with a pistol, hammer, bolt cutter, iron bars and catapult when they raided his home.
They smashed the window with an unknown object to gain entry into the house.
They manhandled Chorosi and his wife Yeukai Muropa demanding cash and other valuables.
They ransacked the house and stole US$500, a Dell laptop and cellphones.