Fleeing armed robber dies in accident
AN armed robber died in a horrific accident last week, while his three gun-toting colleagues sustained serious injuries after their gate-away vehicle hit a tree during a high-speed chase with vigilant residents of Palmerstone suburb in Mutare.
It was a case of a foiled robbery after the gun-toting and machete-wielding gang — Tonderai Mukoroko, Tafadzwa Manyengavana, Brian Badza and Griven Chipande — pounced on a Palmerstone family, gained entry into the house before abandoning their mission in a huff.
The victim, Mr Calvin Munyu alerted neighbours who started honking their cars, distracting the robbers in the process.
The robbers retreated.
They bolted from the house, jumped into their car and sped off towards Grants Service Station near Mutare Polytechnic where they were involved in an accident which claimed one of the robbers, Griven Chipande.
Chipande died on admission to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.
His three accomplices, Mukoroko, Manyengavana and Badza, were not asked to plead when they recently appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mrs Annie Ndiraya, facing armed robbery charges.
They were remanded in custody to March 13.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, said Mukorokoro, Manyengavana, Badza and Chipande had earlier pounced on a Chikanga man, Mr William Matizha, who had visited a friend in Fairbridge Park suburb and robbed him of US$50.
“Mr William Matizha of Chikanga was parked in Fairbridge Extension where he wanted to see a friend when the robbers pounced on him. While at the gate, the four suspects appeared in a Honda Fit, Registration Number, AFV3555. One of the accused got out of the vehicle wielding a gun. He grabbed a bag and US$50 from Mr Matizha before bolting from the scene.
“On the same night, at around midnight, the four proceeded to Independence Close in Palmerstone where they jumped over a perimeter fence and pounced on the complainant, Mr Calvin Munyu, intending to rob him. They were wielding a pistol and
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