A 38-year-old police constable stationed at the Criminal Investigations Department based in Nkulumane, appeared before the Bulawayo regional magistrate together with three accomplices facing an attempted armed robbery charge.
Wellington Ndoro, Felias Mvula, Julius Mugwagwa and Silence Kwangwa appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mark Dzira following a foiled robbery at a home in Victoria Falls.
The quartet, which faces a charge of attempted robbery, was not asked to plead. It was remanded in custody to December 16 this year.
It is alleged that the accused hatched a plan to rob Casey Bean, a Victoria Falls resident, after learning that he kept large sums of cash and valuable property at his home.
The four travelled from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls on December 14 2023 and arrived at the complainant’s residence at about 9pm.
Bean was in his living room watching television and was alerted by his daughter, who noticed four intruders scaling the precast wall. Bean saw one of the suspects attempting to open the main door.
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The robbery was thwarted by the neighbourhood watch response team and the police, who responded swiftly after being alerted by Bean.
Armed with a knobkerrie, the complainant dashed outside, prompting the suspects, who were already in the yard, to flee in different directions.
Ndoro, who was allegedly waiting in a getaway vehicle, allegedly tried to speed away from the scene.
The robbers were allegedly disturbed by the neighbourhood watch response team which gave chase, ramming the suspects’ vehicle from behind, forcing it to stop.
The two occupants then abandoned the car and fled on foot.
A manhunt involving police and neighbourhood watch members ensued and Ndoro was allegedly found hiding in a house, while Mvula was arrested concealing himself in a roadside trench.
Mugwagwa and Kwangwa were later arrested in Bulawayo by CID homicide officers, who reportedly recovered a pistol whose serial number was erased.