Serial armed robber from Musina nabbed

Michael Mashiri

A Harare magistrate has ordered a serial armed robber from Musina in South Africa, who was in the habit of robbing people while wielding weapons, to apply for bail at the High Court

Roy Mutemagazi, 43, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts accused of armed robbery.

The State, alleges that on June 10, at around 0200 hours, the complainant in this matter, Ramson Singano arrived at his homestead driving a Toyota Porte together with his wife Rumbidzai, his pastor Mrs Runatsa, church elder Pamela Bwana and two kids.

Singano parked his car in the yard and they all went out of the car and entered the sitting room.

During the time Singano was locking the doors, Mutemagazi came together with his three accomplices, Vengai better known as Vengito, Venda and Smallie, who are still at large.

They were armed with a pistol, iron bar and a hammer and ordered Singano and his relatives to sit down and demanded their phones.

Singano surrendered a Huawei, Honda phone, Mrs Runatsa, a Samsung A2, power bank, a handbag that had US$50 and two unknown phones while Bwana surrendered her unknown phone and US$53.

Mutemagazi and his accomplices demanded money and valuables form Singano who directed them to the bedroom where they took US$120 which was stashed between his exercise book.

They kept on demanding for more money until Singano’s wife gave them US$400 which was in the bag.

They took an Apple Mac book and his Toyota Porte registration book which was in a laptop bag.

They further searched Singano and took his wallet which had his identity card, driver’s licence, bank cards, safe keys, 9 carat wedding ring.

Mutemagazi and his accomplices tied Singano and his relatives' hands and legs with shoe laces and took his cars from the sofa.

They loaded the loot into Singano’s car, drove it for some metres, dumped it and went away.

Mutemagazi was arrested and when his accomplices saw the police they fled.

He has since led to the recovery of the Huawei Honor, Itel power bank and a Techno Spark 5 phone.

The value of the products that was stolen US$7 300 and US$4 855 worth of value was recovered.

The State also alleges that, on June 13 at around 0100 hours the complainant, Mark Mandiyanike who was asleep in his bedroom with his wife, Dephin Ropafadzo Makoni when he was awakened by the door banging sound which was emanating from the dining room.

At the same time, Mutemagazi and his accomplices who are still at large who were armed with an iron bar and a pistol, entered the bedroom.

The manhandled Mandiyanike, assaulted and ordered him to sit down on the floor.

They demanded money and valuables which led to Mandiyanike's wife surrendering US$1 200 which was in the wardrobe.

They ransacked the house and stole his wallet which had US$1 200, banks and a driver’s licence.

They also stole Mandiyanike's iPhone 13 Promax and an Itel A66.

They then tied Mandiyanike’s wife’s hands with a sellotape and went away.

The value of property that was stolen was US$4 000 and total value recovered was US$1 350.

On June 15, at around 2130 hours, Emmah Mutandwa arrived home from her workplace while driving her Honda Fit.

She was in the company of her employees, Tadiwanashe Ntini and Munyaradzi Chirime.

Nyasha Mikiri, who was employed as a maid opened the gate for Mutandwa for her to get into the yard. When she drove into the yard, she remained in the car after parking.

As Mikiri was about to close the gate, Mutemagazi and his accomplices came. They asked her to secure the dogs which were by the gate, claiming that they wanted to pass. As she concentrated with the dogs, they pounced on her.

They produced a pistol an L-shaped metal bar, at the same time demanding money.

They pushed her to the corner of the yard where they tied her hands with a sellotape.

Two more accused got into the yard and went to the parked car and confronted Mutandwa.

One of the accused persons produced a pistol and pointed it at Mutandwa's cheek before ordering everyone who was in the car to disembark.

They ordered them to lie on the ground facing downwards and demanded money from Mutandwa and she surrendered US$1 500, keys for the Hinda Fit, Benz C300.

One of the accused went on to search Mutandwa's car and took her Itel phone.

They then tied all the occupants' hands with sellotape.

They were force-marched into the bedroom where one Shungu Mutandwa was sleeping.

One of the accused pointed a pistol on Shungu while another assaulted him with a fist on his mouth.

They demanded money from Shungu and he surrendered US$1 300 which was in his trousers pocket.

Mutemagazi went on to search Shungu and they took his Itel phone and safe keys.

They opened safe which was in the bedroom and took another US$5 500. They then tied his hands with sellotape before instructing everyone to lie on the floor.

They ordered all the victims to remain silent as they fled from the scene.

The alleged value of the property that was stolen was US$8 540, only an Itel phone with a value of US$150 was recovered.

After committing the offence they fled to Beitbridge where they wanted to skip the border to South Africa.

Mutemagazi was ordered to appear in court on July 10.

He was advised to apply for bail at the High Court because of the magnitude of his crime.