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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
THE three men, who allegedly raided three supermarkets in Bulawayo,on different occasions and ordered staff and shoppers to lie down at gunpoint before they went away with more than $2, 000, were yesterday acquitted. In acquitting Ernest Mloyiswa, 27, of Emganwini, Buzwani Nleya, 44, and Khumbulani Moyo, 49, both of Lobengula West of four counts of armed robbery, Regional magistrate Trynos Wutawashe, said the evidence led by the state lacked capacity to establish a case against the trio.
He also noted that the testimonies by witnesses were full of inconsistencies.

“The evidence led by the state lacks prima facie and the court also noted that in their testimonies, the key witnesses were not truthful. The three men are accordingly, found not guilty and acquitted,” ruled Wutawashe.

Prosecuting, Robin Mukura alleged that between August 2 and August 10 this year, Nleya, Moyo and Mloyiswa teamed up with Mandla Khumalo who is still at large, and raided a house in Pumula North and three shops in Magwegwe West and North and Nketa 8, and robbed the victims at gunpoint.

“In August, shortly after 7PM, the three men in the company of Mandla Khumalo went to Zamani Phiri’s house in Pumula North ,wearing masks in the form of woolen hats. The trio, which was armed with a silver revolver, ordered Phiri to lie down,” said Mukura.

The prosecutor told the court that a few minutes later, Phiri’s husband arrived home in his car and the three men fled the house without taking anything.
On the same day shortly after 8PM, the trio proceeded to Flex Steel Superette ,in Magwegwe West pretending to be shoppers. Moyo walked into the shop wielding the firearm and ordered everyone in the shop to lie down. Nleya followed in with a knife and stood guard at the door, as Moyo, Khumalo and Mloyiswa proceeded to the tills. They took a cashbox containing $800 and R900 and fled the scene.

On August 7 at about 7.35PM, the alleged armed robbers pounced on TZ Supermarket in Nketa 8 and allegedly pulled out their firearm, and threatened to shoot the security guard manning the door. They allegedly ordered everyone to lie on the floor, before stealing $650.

“On August 10, the three accused raided Saverite Supermarket in Magwegwe North shortly after 7PM and ordered everyone to lie down at gunpoint, before they went away with $339, 40,” Mukura said.

The court heard that on August 13 shortly after 4AM, detectives acting on a tip off, went to Nleya and Moyo’s house and arrested the pair ,leading to the recovery of a 38 special Taurus revolver and a knife. The firearm was loaded with four live rounds of ammunition.

Moyo and Nleya led detectives to Mloyiswa’s house and he was also arrested. On the same day, the three men were put on an identification parade and the victims managed to positively identify them.