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Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter —-
TWO armed robbers met their match early Sunday morning when a fearless petrol attendant they tried to rob at gun point in Tsholotsho turned the tables and assaulted them until they fled after their weapon had run out of bullets. Bhekisisa Maphosa, 49, heroically grappled with the suspects resulting in their gun discharging four times, forcing the intruders to flee.  They left their gun as they fled but managed to grab a cellphone and R14,800 from him.  His resistance meant they could not access the safe.

Maphosa, who works at Vukuzenzele Filling Station in Tsholotsho sustained injuries after the robbery following a fierce tussle for the gun, which saw the suspect shooting the ceiling, apparently to scare off their victim-turned-conqueror.

The petrol attendant took advantage of one of the robbers’ loss of concentration and pounced on him and the two struggled for the weapon, before the suspects took to their heels into the darkness.

The incident, which was confirmed by acting Matabeleland North police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Mandlenkosi Ndlovu occurred at about 1AM on Sunday at Tshefunye Business Centre.

“We received a case of robbery that occurred at Vukuzenzele Filling Station in Tsholotsho at about 1AM on Sunday. The suspects went away with R14,884.70. A report was made and the police attended to the scene. No arrests have been made so far and investigations are in progress,” Asst Insp Ndlovu said.

He appealed to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to report to the nearest police station and encouraged business people to keep their money in banks.

Maphosa, who stays at a house behind the shopping centre, told Chronicle yesterday that he was asleep with his wife when the two suspected armed robbers knocked, before breaking the door and entering their bedroom.  He said the two, who were armed with a pistol and a knife physically assaulted them and ordered them to cover their heads with blankets before demanding keys to the office.

“I gave the keys to one of them and he proceeded to the shop, leaving his accomplice on guard. He took money from the office but came back after some time and demanded the keys to a safe that was in the office,” said Maphosa.

“I told him that the owner of the filling station had taken the keys but he threatened to shoot me. He forced-marched me to the office and demanded all the money. While he was relaxed I grabbed the gun and we started fighting for the weapon, which was loaded.”

Maphosa said he struggled as the suspect tried to grab the gun back, shooting in the ceiling in the process.

“After firing four shots in the ceiling, he fled with my cellphone and some cash, realising that I had overpowered him and there were no more bullets in the gun. His friend, who was still guarding my wife, also ran away after hearing gun shots from the office.

“We immidiately made a report to the police in Tsholotsho and they attended the scene,” he said.

The councillor for Ward 19 in Tshefunye Village, Alois Ndebele said the pair was seen at the shopping centre and triggered suspicion from imbibers who were drinking at one of the bars at the centre.

“The two strangers arrived at the shopping centre at about 11PM and they joined imbibers at a bar. They asked about Maphosa’s whereabouts and they kept on asking what time the bar closes.

“Realising that people were suspicious they left and sat in their car, which was parked just outside the shops,” said Clr Ndebele.

Earlier, Ndebele alleged the suspects had stolen and slaughtered four beasts from Tshabanda and Nkunzi villages in Tsholotsho, and some of the meat was recovered.