The three of armed robbers who hit the Chadcombe home of retired CID Homicide detective Joseph Nemaisa have been found guilty of the charges they were facing.
Harare regional magistrate Stanford Mambanje last week ruled that there was overwhelming evidence against the accused persons since fingerprints were picked by the forensic department on the exit route used by the robbers.
He further ruled that evidence from State witnesses clearly established that two of the accused persons were linked to the robberies.
The first accused person was also implicated through a Rolex wrist watch which was recovered from his residence which belonged to the complainant.
“The second accused person was linked to the robberies through call logs of him chatting with Gora who was shot dead during the gunfight,” Mambanje said.
Former police constable Francis Takura, who was arrested with ex-soldier Virimai Nyandaro and Shayne Myamhunga, had pleaded not guilty during trial.
Allegations were that on November 5 last year, James Rikonda was asleep in his bedroom when he heard footsteps in the passage and as he woke up four men wearing balaclavas entered the room armed with an AK47 assault rifle and a pistol.
The court heard that the suspected armed robbers forced Rikonda and his wife to lie down and demanded cash.
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They then ransacked the house and stole US$11 550, a wallet, cellphone and a 9mm Norinco pistol.
They demanded more cash and were told that money was kept at Rikonda’s workplace.
They demanded Rikonda’s Toyota Hilux GD6 vehicle before force-marching him and his wife onto the vehicle.
The robbers drove to Rikonda’s workplace where they stole US$10 000 and drove the couple back to Rikonda’s house.
On another count, which occurred on December 6, Fadzanai Musarurwa arrived at home and saw three men near her house.
She closed the gate, parked her car and entered the sitting room through the main door and joined her family.
After about five minutes, she heard her dogs barking before she instructed her brother Masimba Musarurwa to lock the main door.
As Masimba was going to lock the door, Fadzanai heard someone trying to force it open.
Courage Nemaisa then quickly phoned his father Joseph telling him that there were intruders at the house.
The robbers assaulted the whole family and Masimba handed over US$850, a cellphone, laptop and a shotgun.
But as the gang was about to leave the house, Nemaisa arrived armed leading to a gunfight.
Three members of the gang, Brian Koga Tendere, Charles Chirara and Tariro Gora were shot dead while Takura and Nyandaro escaped through the window.
Police attended the scene and recovered various weapons.
Evidence gathered led to the arrest of the other two suspects.
Tendai Tapi represented the State.
