Police in Mashonaland Central province are being accused of torturing robbers who allegedly robbed Pfura rural district council engineer Emson Chitsungo.
The robbers are Musa Gandi (42) of Buhera, Agness Kunaka (41) of Chiweshe, Raby Gwenya (39) of Nyazvidzi, Android Tafadzwa Obrey Chipashe (35) of Chiweshe.
They implicated prominent Mount Darwin lawyer Elatone Bonongwe and four others who are still at large.
Appearing at Bindura magistrates courts before a Harare magistrate Mrs Chimangu the suspected robbers lawyer Rynos Gumbo said his clients were torchered by the police.
“Your worship l have a complainant against the police my clients were torchered and passed out while in the hands of the police their health is deteriorating,” Gumbo told the court.
The magistrate remanded them in custody to November 13 and advised them to apply for bail at High Court.
Prosecutors alleged on October 5, Bonongwe schemed to rob Eng Chitsungo using a gang called in by his uncle.
The gang armed with an AK47 bayonet and two sharp iron bars drove to Mt Darwin in a Sienta Redan and met Bonongwe who showed them Eng Chitsungo’s house and left them.
The gang scaled a precast wall at Eng Chitsungo’s house and while inside they slapped him and burnt his behind with a hot iron while demanding cash and valuables. They ransacked the house and stole clothes, electrical appliances and US$1 600.
But as the eight drove towards Harare, they were stopped at a roadblock near Mazowe and the police demanded to search the car. The gang fled but a Support Unit back-up fired four shots and so police were able to arrest the four who appeared in court while the other four escaped.
After a search, the police recovered some of the stolen property and weapons used in committing this crime.
During interviews, accused Chipashe implicated Bonongwe and showed WhatsApp chats and text messages between Bonongwe and his uncle Gandi tasking him to assemble a team to rob Engineer Chitsungo.
Source – Byo24News
