A woman helped two armed robbers trap an unsuspecting university student before they robbed him at gunpoint on the outskirts of Bulawayo.
The victim boarded a Honda Fit taxi at the corner of 11th Avenue and Fort Street, intending to travel to South Africa via Plumtree Border Post.
A woman named Uranda invited him into the car, saying she was going to the border. But after passing Bellevue shops, the driver pulled over and parked.
That’s when one of the male robbers produced a pistol and pointed it at the student’s head, threatening to shoot him unless he handed over money.
The terrified student surrendered US$332 and two cellphones. The gang then dragged him from the car, dumped him on the road and sped off into the city.
The quick-thinking victim managed to note the car’s number plate before reporting the armed robbery at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
Police investigators arrested all three suspects – Uranda and the two armed male robbers. They are set to appear in Bulawayo Regional Court on an armed robbery charge.
The brazen robbery has outraged locals, with many accusing the woman of betraying the victim’s trust to help the armed gang carry out the crime. Armed robberies involving mushikashika pirate taxis remain a serious problem, police say.
