A GROUP of approximately eight robbers yesterday launched a brazen attack on the Zambezi Valley Shopping Mall in Kariba, with the primary target of the heist appearing to be the casino located within the complex.
However, the robbers ransacked several other shops in search of cash and valuables, with witnesses yesterday telling NewsDay that they encountered two unarmed security guards.
According to witnesses, one of the guards had a dog, which he was ordered by the intruders to tie to a tree before the guards were bound with ropes and wires and assaulted.
Despite their aggressive search, the robbers failed to locate any money and made off with clothing items of an undetermined value.
The witnesses said a robber, brandishing a firearm, confronted one of the guards, demanding to know where the money was hidden.
The guard, Innocent Chivaura, told them that he was unaware of informatiion about the company’s money and its safekeeping, adding that his responsibility was merely to guard the area.
“Around 3am, I noticed a group of people approaching. One of them ordered me to tie my dog and I complied out of fear. There were too many of them for me to confront,” he said.
“One robber struck me, threatening me with a gun while insisting that I tie my dog to a tree. I screamed for my fellow guard to hear me.
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“They siezed my face spray and used it on me before stabbing me with a knife on the leg. When they asked about the money, I told them I had no information.”
Chivaura, who recounted the ordeal, said when he tried to free himself, the robbers beat him up.
“After they left, I untied my legs and assisted my colleague. We then called the reaction team, but by that time, the robbers had already fled. They went away with my US$65, my phone and my colleague’s gadget,” he said.
Tafirenyika Makayi, owner and director of Markgan Security, who was accompanying the injured Chivaura to Nyamhunga Clinic, expressed deep concern over the incident.
“This is a tragic event for both the community and our company. Kariba has been a peaceful town for many years and it’s disheartening to see such violence,” he said.
“The robbers left the guards injured, and no arrests have been made yet. This attack follows another incident which occurred around 2am at the National Angling Union of Zimbabwe, where we also provide security services.
“A nearby lodge was targeted by unidentified assailants, who fled after the owners fired warning shots into the air, causing a gang of about five to vanish from the scene,” he said.
Last month, robbers targeting the casino fled with more than US$8 000 they seized from a cash safe before breaking into another shop, where they also stole valuables worth approximately US$500.
