Mukuru-Gokwe armed robbers nabbed

The armed robbers who pounced on Mukuru Remittance Services in Gokwe-Nembudziya have been arraigned before Gokwe Magistrate last week facing two counts of robbery, and two counts of attempted murder, this publication can reveal.

Alfa Hove (20), Viwe Mashiyi (33), Shepherd Chapanda (20), Maxwell Moyo (23), and Aaron Mavhengere (26) were arraigned before the Gokwe Magistrate Court facing two counts of robbery, and two counts of attempted murder.

It is alleged that on 30 September 2022 the accused persons together with three others who are still at large hatched a plan to rob Mukuru remittance services in Nembudziya. Upon arrival at Mukuru booth two of the accused persons Hove, and Mashiyi threatened the complainant with a 38 special revolver while demanding cash from. They took two cellphones, USD$2 800, and ZAR2 050.

Chapanda then stabbed the complainant with a knife on the buttocks while forcing him to the Mukuru safe in the Pharmacy that is adjacent to the booth. The complainant then managed to escape from the robbers. The robbers then focused on Doctor Mutero who was in the Pharmacy. They robbed him of his cellphone, and $120 USD. Mutero then alerted the police detectives who were parked outside the Mukuru booth, and they gave a chase.

“The accused persons pointed a firearm, and took away my cellphone, and $120 USD that I worked for that day. I got the chance to alert the police detectives who were outside Mukuru booth, and they chased after the accused persons got out of the Pharmacy,” Mutero narrated.

The accused persons fired shorts at the detectives, as they pursued them. The detectives managed to arrest four of the accused persons about 4 kilometers away from the scene with the help of the community.

“We managed to apprehend Alfa Hove, Viwe Mashiyi, Shepherd Chapanda, and Maxwell Moyo about 4 kilometers away from the Pharmacy with the help of the members of the community who were aware to what was happening,” said one of the police detectives.

The fifth accused person (Aaron Mavhengere) was caught by members of the public at Gokwe center when a member of the public who had given him a lift noticed that he was armed.

“We could not manage to arrest Aaron Mavhengere the same time we arrested his colleagues. But he was later caught by members of the public in Gokwe Centre when a taxi driver who had given him a lift noticed that he was armed, and he handed him over to the police,” the detective added.

Police managed to recover USD$2 349, ZAR2 050 cash, two cellphones A.38 special revolver, spent cartridges, a knife, and live rounds of ammunition. The accused persons were remanded in custody for further notice from the court.