An administrator and two mechanics employed by Philadelphia School appeared in court Thursday charged with robbery of a motor vehicle after they allegedly stole a car belonging to their colleague’s relative.
The three are George Rukwesa (63), John Marangwanda (53) and Webster Ndawana (34). They appeared before Harare Magistrate Donald Ndirowei who remanded them out of custody on US$100 bail each. The complainant is Christopher Chimukoro.
The court heard that Rukwesa is employed at the school as an administrator while Marangwanda and Ndawana are employed as mechanics.
According to court papers, the three, and their eight accomplices, who are still on the run attacked Chimukoro who had come to the school to help carry his brother’s property with his Nissan single-cab truck.
It is alleged that on January 26, the suspects watched as he loaded household property into the vehicle.
After loading his car could not start.
He then realised that someone had tempered with the coil pack cable.
“He fixed it and proceeded to drive towards Harare’s city centre along Borrowdale – Domboshava road.
“… Rukwesa, Marangwanda and Ndawana allegedly stole the school’s bus and lay in wait for him.
“Upon arrival at Whity ladies’ lane, which is about a kilometre away from the school, they overtook the complainant and blocked him.
“The complainant stopped and approximately 11 men, including the accused, whom he recognised, disembarked armed with iron bars, wooden sticks and a tow bar,” read court papers.
It is alleged that Rukwesa opened the driver’s door.
His accomplices went to the passenger door and started hitting the complainant with an iron bar.
It is alleged that they forcibly removed the complainant from the car and assaulted him with iron bars and wooden sticks.
“Thereafter, they left him unconscious,” the court head.
It is further alleged that the accused stole a leather jacket, US$800, several national identification documents and bank cards as well as some spark plugs, speakers, bolts and nuts.
Chimukoro, who had been left bleeding out on the side of the road, eventually regained consciousness and managed to drag himself to the police station in Southlea Park.
He gave the police his license plate number which they then used to track down the car and the stolen property.
Of the property worth US$6 700 that was reportedly stolen only the motor vehicle valued at US$4 000 has been recovered.
The suspects will be back in court on May 10.
Source NewZimbabwe
