Staff Writer
Nine men have been arrested over a Penhalonga underground gold ore heist.
Innocent Chinonzwa, 39, Lovemore Chinonzwa, 37, Maxwell Masamvu, 39, Bright Mabonore, 40, John Mbeu, 42, Wiskes Kovhiwa, 32, Marlon Maringa, 28, Wellington Moyo, 35, and Terrence Mukodza, 34, were not asked to plead when they were arraigned before a Mutare magistrate Thursday.
The nine are being charged with robbery as defined in section 126 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Prosecuting, Chris Munyuku told the court how the nine – acting in connivance, raided Monarch 11B Mine on May 15 at around 1900 hours where its employees George Mushati, Shadreck Nyabeze and Thomas Maara were working.
Moyo was armed with a loaded CZ VZOR pistol serial number 183654.
The gang threatened to kill the three miners unless they surrendered their gold ore before grabbing 10 25kg bags of ore.
Moyo then fired the gun after the trio tried to resist the robbers.
A police report was made on May 16 at around 0330 hours and a spent cartridge was recovered from the crime scene.
Police were informed that it had been Moyo’s gun that was used in the robbery on May 20. They then sent it to the Criminal Investigation Department Forensic Unit.
Ballistic tests proved that it had been Moyo’s gun that had fired the spent cartridge.