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Midlands Reporter
Police in Gweru have arrested three more vagrants in connection with a case involving a fellow gun toting vagrant who was convicted in September. The three, Vincent Mutare,18, Tapiwa Nyaguse, 19, Tinashe Muzanenhamo, 23, all of no fixed aboard pleaded not guilty when they appeared before provincial magistrate, Tendai Madanire. They were remanded in custody to today for continuation of trial.

Mutare, Nyaguse and Muzanenhamo are facing charges of unlawful entry, robbery, theft and possessing a fire arm without a licence.

A fourth vagrant identified only as Thulani is at large and police have launched a manhunt for the fugitive. The vagrant who was convicted in September, Benjamin Sibanda, was sentenced to an effective eight months in prison. Police used Sibanda to track and trap his three colleagues.

For the state Bernard Nyoni told the court that on June 20 this year, the five accused persons including the convicted Sibanda connived and went to DCK Wholesalers in Gweru along Mvuma road where the complainant, Lloyd Mataruse of Safe Guard was on duty guarding the premises.

The gang was being led by Thulani who is still at large.

The state alleges that one of the boys forcibly grabbed the complainant from behind while his colleagues searched him and took a communication radio and a Special Revolver pistol and the main gate keys.

The court heard that they then tied the complainant’s hands using a shoelace and his feet with a wire.

Nyoni said one of the boys was left looking over the complainant while his accomplices broke into the shop.

While inside the shop, it is alleged that the gang stole groceries among them six 750-gramme packets of Cerevita Porridge, 7 kilogrammes of biltong, 22 kilogrammes of pre-packed beef, 10 kilogrammes of beef sausages, 2 kilogrammes of chicken portions, 1 litre Coke and 40 kilogrammes of rice and went away leaving the complainant still tied.

The complainant later managed to unshackle himself and ran away to lodge a report with the police.

Nyoni said two days later, the police got a tip off to the effect that Sibanda was in possession of a gun and approached him and interviewed him.

Sibanda agreed to the allegations and led the police to Gweru River where he had concealed the gun and handed it to them resulting in his arrest.

He appeared in court in September when his friends were still on the run.

The court heard that Sibanda implicated his four friends and the police only managed to arrest three members of the gang last Tuesday.

Total value of the stolen goods is $300 and nothing was recovered.