Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Mashudu Mambo
A ROBBERY, which was allegedly masterminded by an employee of Hammer and Tongues Auctioneers in Bulawayo took a dramatic turn as the gang was nabbed after sharing the loot of about US$9 000 and R150 000.
Alfred Taurayi (42), Nomzamo Nkiwane (42), Kevin Tshuma (40) and Vusumuzi Ndlovu (50) were arraigned before the Bulawayo regional magistrate, Joseph Mabeza, facing a charge of robbery. They were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody to 5 February.
Allegations against the gang are that on 14 January 2025 at a place along Cumming Avenue in Parkview suburb, Taurayi hatched a plan to steal from his employer.
He approached his neighbour, Nkiwane and tipped her off about the movement of money at Hammer and Tongues Auctioneers indicating that the money was easy to steal as it was usually transported to Harare by the victim without an escort.
He indicated that the victim carried the money in a satchel using a pink Honda Fit vehicle. Taurayi engaged Nkiwane and requested her to look for “criminals” who would be able to steal the money from the victim and promised to supply them with regular updates to make the job easier.
Nkiwane got interested in the robbery and agreed to the plan, she hired Tshuma, Ndlovu, Delvin White Alias Bhoza, Bhekithemba Mthimkhulu alias Majezi and Robert Moyo, alias Fana who are still at large, to rob the complainant.
On the same day, at around 11am, Taurayi who was on duty, noticed that the victim had arrived to collect the money from the Bulawayo branch to Harare and then contacted his accomplice, Nkiwane.
He informed her that the complainant had arrived and supplied the information on the victim’s vehicle registration number. Tshuma and the other accomplices proceeded to the company and monitored the movement of the victim.
Tshuma was driving a silver Mazda Axela with Botswana number plates and was with Mthimkhulu and Moyo on board while Ndlovu was driving a silver-grey Toyota Aqua.
The victim left the offices and set out to Harare and when he reached Cumming Avenue, Tshuma blocked her vehicle and the other accomplices who were with him in the car disembarked, they were armed with pistols and approached the victim.
They tried to open the doors but they were locked by the victim who sensed danger and the culprits smashed the back windscreen of the vehicle using bricks.
The victim got out of the car and fled, living behind a satchel, which contained R158 000 and US$ 9 339. They grabbed the bag and embarked onto their getaway car and they left.
The matter was reported to the police and investigations were carried out, leading to the arrest of the culprits and the recovery of the stolen money. The getaway car was recovered from Ndlovu.
