A Harare man accused of taking part in a late-night robbery in which more than US$507,000 in cash and property was stolen from a company along Harare Drive has appeared in court, after one of the victims was grazed on the head with a grinder during the raid.
Dingani Mpofu, 49, is facing robbery charges before Harare regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa. Lancelot Mutsokoti prosecuted.
The State alleges that Mpofu and accomplices who are still at large arrived at the company at about midnight on July 20, armed with AK-47 rifles and a pistol. The gang first confronted security guard William Socha and Kudzanai Mapanzure before handcuffing them and force-marching them into the premises.
Socha was searched and allegedly robbed of US$200 and a Samsung Z Fold 6 cellphone valued at US$1,500. Mapanzure was allegedly searched and had US$150 taken from him. The two men were then forced to lie down in an office hall while some of the robbers remained behind to guard them.
The rest of the gang allegedly moved deeper into the company premises, where they confronted another security guard, Ryan Bangajena. He was forced into the same office hall and made to lie down with the other guards.
The robbers then allegedly confronted company driver Tapiwa Chikwira, who had arrived at the premises in a Toyota Hilux. He was handcuffed and searched, and the gang allegedly took US$2,000 from him before taking him to the office hall.
The State says the gang next went to a cottage on the company grounds, where they confronted Shi Jin Lian and Qiao Lei. US$314 was allegedly stolen from Qiao Lei, while Shi Jin Lian was allegedly robbed of US$15,000. Both were assaulted and force-marched to the office hall, where the other victims were being held.
The robbers allegedly returned to the cottage and confronted Tadiwanashe Dube, Sydney Mafuka and Amanda Chinho. They allegedly took US$90 from Mafuka, three iPhones and a Tecno cellphone, 100 Macan Dollars, a Reno 12 Oppo cellphone containing an Econet line, a Philippe wristwatch valued at US$50,000 and keys to company vehicles.
The most violent part of the robbery allegedly followed when the gang demanded more cash and valuables. The State alleges that Qiao Lei’s head was grazed with a grinder as the robbers tried to force him to reveal where more money was kept.
The gang allegedly found a safe in a wardrobe in the main bedroom. The safe was said to contain US$377,694 and 11 mining certificates. It was allegedly removed from the property and loaded into a Toyota Hilux, registration number AGO 7110, which the robbers used to flee from the premises.
After the gang left, the occupants managed to free themselves and reported the robbery to the police. The stolen Toyota Hilux was later found abandoned along Harare Drive in Mandara, opposite a ZAOGA Church.
Mpofu was arrested on August 22 in connection with the robbery. Police allege that he later led investigators to a Mazda Bongo, registration number AHQ 1492, which he had allegedly bought using proceeds from the robbery. He also allegedly made voluntary indications to investigators, showing how the offence was committed.
According to the State papers, the total value of cash and property stolen was US$507,078. Property valued at US$87,000 has so far been recovered, leaving investigators searching for the remaining money, valuables, certificates and other items allegedly taken during the raid.
The case comes as police in Harare investigate a series of armed robberies involving businesses, security guards and people carrying cash. In a separate recent case, five suspects were arrested after a string of robberies reported in Harare between July 17 and August 5. Police said the group targeted bars, shops and tuckshops, allegedly using a blue Toyota Passo and a Retay pistol. Investigators linked the suspects to seven counts of armed robbery and recovered the pistol, clothing captured on closed-circuit television footage and two mobile phones stolen from a complainant.
One of the cases linked to that group involved a company along Simon Mazorodze Road in Waterfalls, where two security guards were allegedly attacked and tied up with pieces of cloth. A generator, three batteries and other valuables worth about US$2,500 were stolen.
In April, three police officers were also attacked during a midnight patrol along Northolt Road near Divaris Makaharis School in Mabelreign. The attackers allegedly overpowered the officers, injured them and escaped in their patrol vehicle with a Heckler & Koch G3 rifle, its seven-round magazine and two mobile phones. The officers were taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital and were reported to be in a stable condition.
The Harare Drive case has placed the focus on the level of preparation involved in targeting the company. The gang is alleged to have moved through several parts of the premises, restrained multiple occupants, searched individuals for cash and phones, taken vehicle keys and removed a heavy safe before escaping in a company vehicle.
Investigations are continuing as police pursue Mpofu’s alleged accomplices and trace the property that remains outstanding. The matter is before the Harare regional magistrates’ court.