Presidential Guard Soldier Shot By Detectives During Armed Robbery
A member of the Presidential Guard was recently shot by Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officers and fled with a bullet lodged in his rib cage after robbing a Chitungwiza service station of cash, a firearm and other valuables.
The soldier, Arnold Matetepa (38), was arrested last week as he sought medical treatment at a health centre in Harare and was brought to court on Saturday facing armed robbery charges.
He was remanded on his hospital bed to 3 August by Harare Magistrate Judith Taruvinga.
Prosecutors said that on 24 June this year, Matetepa and his four accomplices, three of them still at large, robbed Velvet Service Station in Chitungwiza of valuables and US$2 500 cash after assaulting and disarming a security guard.
That same night, Matetepa and his gang, which included Tendai Mubatapasango, Lovemore Madondo, Jerry Bangu and Munyaradzi Hodzi, allegedly drove to Mutorashanga on another robbery mission but fell into a police trap on the way.
HOT DEALS:
itel A70 - (128GB, 3GB RAM) $89,
itel A70 - (256GB, 4GB RAM) $99
itel P40 (128GB, 4GB), (6000mAh) $99
itel P40 (64GB, 4G), (6000mAh) $93
Cash on Delivery in Harare & Bulawayo. Tinotumira kwamuri inosvika.
WhatsApp: 0783 450 793
There was an exchange of fire between the suspects and the detectives, before the armed robbers fled, resulting in a high-speed chase.
Cornered, the suspects abandoned their getaway car, and fled in different directions, with police firing randomly at them.
Hodzi was arrested after being shot in the leg as Matetepa fled with a bullet lodged in his rib cage.
Matetepa was later arrested after he and the other suspects still at large were implicated by Hodzi.
This comes as cases of armed robberies involving serving members of the military and the police have been rising.
Zimbabwe has been recording a surge in robbery cases of late, with most of them involving serving and former members of the security forces.
According to the latest statistics provided by police, the country is recording six robberies a day, with 876 cases recorded between January and May this year.
