BULAWAYO – Armed robbers pounced on two separate Roman Catholic Church premises in Bulawayo same night on Thursday and made off with over US$1,300 cash and some property after holding priests hostage during the attack.

The machete wielding suspects attacked the Roman Catholic Holy Trinity Parish and snatched US$1,200 and some cash in South African rands.

They also attacked the House of Liberty Christian Church in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb and left with some valuable property.

Narrating the ordeal, Gilbert Moyo, the resident Priest at Holy Trinity Parish, said the suspects forced their way into their residence and handcuffed them.

“Four armed robbers attacked us at around 2am this morning. They used the back door to enter,” he said.

“They handcuffed me and a student priest who is also resident here.

“They stole an Isuzu vehicle, Samsung cell phone, a cash box containing US$1,200 and R2,500, a wallet with my (driver’s) licence and cash amounting to US$120.

“As soon as they left, we went to the police to report.

“They were carrying machetes and axes, among other metal weapons. Fortunately, we sustained minor injuries,” he said.

Acting Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the two incidents.

She said a female resident at House of Liberty Christian Church woke up to the horror of being accosted by three armed robbers in the church’s residence at around 1:30am.

Msebele said the robbers were carrying a machete, iron bar and a kitchen knife which was part of the utensils in the house.

“They assaulted her with a fist on the face, threatening to kill her and went on to demand cash from her.

“The accused persons force-marched the complainant into her bedroom and ransacked the house,” she said.

Msebele said the robbers managed to escape with property worth an estimated US$800.

She urged churches to guard their premises and also refrain from keeping large sums of money within their properties.

The attack on the church follows several similar robberies on Roman Catholic churches and schools in Bulawayo in parts of Matabeleland South province.

Church leaders believe the suspects could be members of the same gang that has been targeting the denomination and associated schools past few months.

They have recorded 20 robbery incidents targeting the church in the last 12 months.

The most recent attack took place early this month when suspects pounced on a parish in Pumula South and made off with US$6,000 in cash.

The robbers target money, laptops and phones.