BINDURA – Harare lawyer, Elatane Bonongwe has been arrested on allegations of masterminding a robbery which saw alleged accomplices snatch over US$30,000 worth of property and cash from a Bindura home.
Bonongwe, 54, of Bonongwe and Partners Legal Practice, appeared before Bindura magistrate and was remanded in custody after being advised to seek bail at the High Court.
He is jointly charged with his uncle, Musa Gandi, 42, Agness Kunaka, Raby Gwenya and Tafadzwa Obrey Chipashu.
Four other accomplices are reportedly still at large.
The five face seven robbery counts.
According to prosecutors, sometime in October, Bonongwe called his uncle, Gandi and asked him to assemble a team which could break into a home belonging to one Emson Chitsungo from Mt Darwin.
It is alleged he then led the suspects to Chitsungo’s home where he left them at midnight to perform the heist by scaling the security wall.
“Whilst inside, they assaulted the complaints with iron bars, clapped them and burnt Chitsungo with a hot iron whilst demanding cash and other valuables.
“The accused ransacked the whole house and stole various clothing, various electrical gadgets worth over US$20,000 and cash amounting to US$1,600.
“The accused then went away driving towards Harare,” prosecutors allege.
Court further heard luck ran out of the suspects when they drove into a police roadblock on their way to Harare.
An attempt by police to search their vehicle saw the suspects escape on foot into the night darkness.
Police manning the roadblock fired warning shots forcing Gandi, Kunaka, Gwenya and Chipashu to give in while four other accomplices managed to escape.
Bonongwe was arrested on the following day after he was sold out by his alleged accomplices.
