Brazen robbery spree lands Masvingo criminal in court
In a concerning turn of events, a Masvingo man has been arraigned before the courts, facing multiple charges of armed robbery. Isaac Pomerai Chamisa, a 34-year-old resident of Gokova Village in Chief Nhema, Zaka, was brought before the Masvingo Magistrates’ Court to answer to four counts of robbery, as defined in Section 126 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].
The alleged incidents paint a troubling picture of the suspect’s modus operandi. According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, on June 8th, 2024, at the Nerupiri Turn off in Mutimurefu, Masvingo, Chamisa is said to have emerged from the bush and approached a group of individuals who were attending to a broken-down car. Threatened at gunpoint, the complainants – Tiniel Chiwungwa, Gerald Mukomondo, and Fortunate Sithole – were forced to hand over their valuables, including US$48, a ZiG40, and three cell phones, before the suspect disappeared into the surrounding vegetation.
Barely a week later, on June 15th, the accused is alleged to have struck again. This time, the victim was Tinashe Shoko, whom Chamisa had asked for a lift while in Beitbridge, heading towards Masvingo. However, during the journey, the suspect is said to have pulled a firearm, ordered Shoko to pull over, and forcibly taken the victim’s car keys, US$180, 500 South African Rand, and his cell phone, before vanishing into the bush once more.
Investigations into these brazen incidents ultimately led to the arrest of the suspect, and the recovery of a Hisense U70 cell phone belonging to one of the previous complainants, as well as an Okapi knife and a toy pistol, believed to have been used in the commission of the crimes.
Chamisa has been remanded in custody until July 9th, as the judicial process continues.
