Two police officers reportedly secured a forged search warrant, which they used to gain entry into the home of a Harare businessman, where they seized gold worth $262 000 concealed in the ceiling, $10,000 in cash, and $11,000 in bond notes.
Their suspected accomplice, only known as Chidemo, remained at large.
Aurthers, who used to work for the complainant, was accused of providing information to the gang about where and how the complainant stored his money and valuables. She notified her lover, Hann, who then informed his buddy Sibanda, who enlisted the help of Moyo and Musengezi.
It is the State’s case that after the robbery, part of the gold was sold on the black market for $86 500. According to the State, Sibanda took a selfie while inside the complainant’s house during the robbery and posted it on Facebook.
Aurthers and Hann appeared in court on Saturday and were remanded in custody to yesterday for bail ruling. They were released on $500 each by magistrate Ms Josephine Sande.
Moyo, Musengezi and Sibanda appeared before the same magistrate yesterday and were granted $100 bail each coupled with stringent conditions. They are being represented by Messrs Admire Rubaya and Stephen Chikotora. They will be back in court on November 9. Prosecuting Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that after Sibanda roped in Moyo and Musengezi in the scheme to rob the businessman, the duo fraudulently applied for a search warrant using a false reference number at the Harare magistrates’ court.
Acting on the information supplied by Aurthers, Sibanda, Moyo, Musengezi and Chidemo proceeded to the complainant’s house 501 Biston Road in Borrowdale, Harare on October 7. Upon arrival, they saw the complainant’s son Dillion Wigill and demanded to “search” the house, but Wigill became suspicious and refused to let them in. One of the gang then assaulted him and threatened to shoot him, the State alleged.
They allegedly ransacked the house and stole $9 980, $11 000 worth of bond notes and 4 781 grammes of gold. After the robbery, the gang, the court heard, went to Aurthers house and left the gold in her custody before collecting it later on the same day. They proceeded to Bulawayo where Hann and Sibanda reside. It is further alleged that they handed over the gold to Hann, who later sold it on the black market.
Upon arrest, Sibanda was allegedly found in possession of $18 500, which was part of the money realised after selling the gold, while Hann was in possession of $66 000 and 50 grammes of gold.
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