The uncle to suspected armed robber Godfrey Josi (41) and his wife Juliet Gavaza (36) has spoken on the former’s botched attempted suicide and dramatic midnight arrest in Damofalls home last weekend.
The couple, Josi and Gavaza, committed a spate of robberies since 2017 and were finally arrested at their home by a crack team comprising over 30 law enforcement agents led by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
Josi along with his wife and five other gang members have since appeared in court charged with more than 25 counts of armed robbery, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
Josi’s uncle said he only discovered his nephew’s criminal side last week. He told The Sunday Mail that he witnessed Josi’s arrest, as he was in the house when police swooped on their home.
He said Josi and Gavaza first met in Headlands’ Chiendambuya area before moving to Murehwa after getting married.
Back then they were struggling even to buy food and I was giving them handouts time and again.
They later moved to Glen Norah in Harare where I was also staying at that time and I believe that is when they met people who recruited them into crime.
The uncle claimed that he got suspicious about Josi and Gavaza’s source of wealth after a rapid change in fortunes. He said:
One day I asked about his nature of business and he said he was now a car dealer who owns many car sales.
Their life was changing rapidly and my request to visit some of the car sales was brushed aside.
On the night of the raid, Josi’s uncle says he had just come from his rural home in Chiendambuya where he is now based. Said the uncle:
When I arrived Josi was not at home and his wife was just about to leave for Mazowe for a church service.
When the couple returned we enjoyed a bottle of whisky together with two other relatives and retired to bed.
At around midnight we heard gunshots around the house and when I went to take a look I realised that the house was surrounded by the police.
… I saw him (Josi) coming out from his room holding a pistol saying ‘zvadhakwa’ (it is falling apart).
He pointed a pistol to his head and tried to shoot himself. He tried to shoot himself at least four times, but the gun failed to fire. I don’t know if it was loaded or if he was failing to operate it.
After realising that the police had broken into the house, Josi later dropped the gun and surrendered.
The uncle said police returned to the couple’s home the following day with Josi and his accomplices and arrested Juliet.
The couple apparently purchased a four-roomed house in Budiriro 4 Extension in Harare for US$20 000, a seven-roomed house in Zengeza 5 Chitungwiza valued at US$36 000, a residential stand in Murehwa for US$2 600 and a 2,5-hectare plot at Kent Farm in Mhondoro.
They reportedly bought an Isuzu KB300 truck, a Mercedes Benz, two Honda CRVs and 10 cattle in Headlands.