By Crime and Court Reporter
Daring robbers pounced on a house in the Mangava area of Dulibadzimu township in Beitbridge leaving one person dead and two others injured in the early ours of today. The burglars also got away with 6500 worth of Rand coins and unspecified amount in Rand and US$ notes and cellphones.
The deceased man who was shot in the chest, has been identified as Vengai Makwangudze aged 40
The incident which has left residents petrified ,comes as the border town has been experiencing a spate of armed robberies of late. The five armed robbers suspected to be in their 20s descended on the house armed with four pistons and iron bars. Four of them broke into the house through the door leaving one as their watchman outside.
In an ordeal which lasted approximately 20 minutes, the robbers ransacked the house , rounding everyone beating them up and collecting money from each family housed, before shooting the deceased and fled the scene. Some of the occupants where half naked wearing pants only during the 20 minute horror.
It is suspected the deceased tried to mount a defence against the intruders upon which they fatally shot him. One of the occupants (name supplied) who is suspected to have been the main target of the robbery said he is terrified by the ordeal.
“When I stood up trying to open wardrobe doors for them to see I had surrendered all the cash, one of them hit me on the fore head and I passed out, only waking up when the police arrived,” he said.
As residents ponder on the latest robbery to hit the town, a sombre atmosphere engulfed the robbed homestead as neighbours try to come to terms with the tragic incident.