Nine notorious robbers were finally nabbed and brought before court on Friday after evading police arrest for 20 years.
The accused persons with their ring leader Abdul Taj, appeared before Harare Magistrates court in leg irons and denied bail after the state told the court that some of their co-accused persons were still at large.
Allegations are that on July 24, 2020 the accused persons who were in the company of their other accomplices still at large hatched the plan to rob the complainant and proceeded to number 4 Longford Street Queensdale Harare, while driving separate vehicles.
Upon arrival they removed some precast wall panels to gain entry to the premises. Whilst inside the premises the accused who were putting on face masks armed with a short gun and a pistol forced open the launch door with an iron bar and gained entry.
They confronted the complainant’s brother in law who was seated in the lounge. He shouted for help and fled towards the kitchen intending to escape through the back door where he was confronted by another accused person who was standing outside the house. They manhandled him, tied his hands from behind with shoelaces.
The accused persons went on to confront the complainant who had locked himself in the bedroom from inside together with his wife and children.
They forced open the door with an iron bar and confronted the complainant and his wife before ordering them to lie down on the floor while covering the complainants wife with a blanked.
They assaulted the complainant demanding cash and valuables from the complainant and his wife at the same time ransacking the room.
The stole cash amounting to USD$1473 from the complainants wife handbag and 5 cellphones, handbags, eye glasses, power banks, face masks and valuables.
Total value of stolen goods was put at USD$7516.
Meanwhile, on the other charge, the accused persons also robbed other companies, stealing valuable goods while holding arms.
They are also being charged of possessing fire arms.
However, their lawyer, Ashly Mugiya pleaded with magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti to give an order for the accused person to be allowed to be medically treated as they raised complaints of being tortured by the Beitbridge police and CID law and order officers who they said fed them to dogs.
