Police arrest service station robbers

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

POLICE in Lupane have arrested two men who allegedly robbed a West Service Station petrol attendant and got away with more than US$4 000.

Methuseli Dube (30) of Shabulanyana village and Mthokozisi Mlotshwa (37) of New Stands, Lupane allegedly robbed Mr Sanangurai Mudzimuwengwe soon after he closed the garage at Lupane Centre and got away with US$4 350 and R100.

The duo was in the company of Ronald Mizikayifani Lusinga who is still at large.

Dube and Mlotshwa were not asked to plead to robbery when they appeared before Lupane resident magistrate Mr Ndumo Masuku.

They were remanded in custody to next week Thursday while police have launched manhunt for Lusinga.

For the State, Ms Nobukhosi Moyo said the accused and their accomplice connived to rob Mr Mudzimuwengwe of his day’s sales.

“On the 25th day of July 2022 the accused persons acting with common purpose with Ronald Mizikayifani Lusinga who is still at large connived to rob the complainant of his day’s fuel sales. They monitored the complainant until he knocked off at 7pm,” said Ms Moyo.

The court was told that after knocking off, the complainant put the money in a bag and walked home alone.

The accused who had hired a car from Naison Nyoni for the purpose of committing the crime followed behind and cornered him as he walked along a footpath past two unfinished houses.

“The accused person approached and hit him with an unknown object on the shoulder. They snatched the bag which had money, a cellphone and power bank and fled,” the court heard.

Dube bought a motor bike in Bulawayo using part of the money.

Police investigations led to him but he initially escaped when detectives asked him questions leaving the motorbike which is being held as an exhibit.

He was later arrested in Bulawayo and implicated Mlotshwa who was then arrested in Lupane.

The total value of stolen money was US$4 350 and 100 rand and a motorbike valued at US$1 380 was recovered.

In April this year, the owner of the garage was allegedly robbed of US$1 800 cash at gunpoint by suspected armed highway robbers as he drove to Lupane from Gwayi where he operates another fuel service station.

The garage owner had collected the day’s sales at his garage when two unidentified men who were driving a Honda Fit without number plates intercepted him between Halfway and Gwayi River along the highway.

No arrest was made amid concerns about lack of security in movement of cash by the fuel service owner.

-@ncubeleon

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