By Rex Mphisa
EIGHT residents of Beitbridge, some well-known community members, were innocent by day, and yet turned into monsters by night if police allegations are anything to go by.
On Monday the eight, namely Tinashe Nkomo, 39, of 2498 Busy Curve, Future Moyo, 35, of 5348 New Stands, Decent Moyo, 35, of 1082 Mashakada, Obey Chiware, 38, of 2476, Wiseman Muleya, 30, of Tshamunyunyu Village, Tendai Mapira of Garikai Houses, Kumbulani Mabhena, 36, of 888 Old Medium and Admire Charumbira, of 4755 Dulibadzimu, all in Beitbridge, appeared before Regional Magistrate Charity Maphosa who remanded them in custody.
Appearing under CID reference number DR 36/08/25, DR20/03/25 and DR13/04/24 the eight were not asked to plead.
Their other allegations references are CR Ref: ZRP BBU CR 89/08/25, CRs58/03/25, CR266/03/25,CR262/03/25,CR89&106/06/25, CR199/07/25, CR60/01/25, CR43/05/25, CR56/05/25, CR02/06/25, CR132/06/25,CR67/07/25, CR129/08/25, CR72/08/25, CR89/08/25, 98/08/25 where they are jointly charged.
All eight are unemployed and face 16 counts of armed robbery.
It is alleged that on 13 August 2025 at around 1900 hours, complainant Vengai Chikati of 460 Dulibadzimu, Beitbridge, a wholesale airtime vendor, arrived at his house after the day’s work.
At the gate he was stopped by accused persons who produced firearms, pointed the same to Chikati and threatened to kill him if he failed to comply.
One of the accused persons forcibly took the complainant’s sling bag containing Netone Airtime Vouchers and Buddie Airtime Vouchers worth US$2 500-00, cash US$1 200-00, ZAR 2 000-00, two cellphones- Samsung A05 and a Nokia.
The accused persons ran away soon after taking Chikati’s property.
On 20 August 2025 information that Nkomo and Moyo were selling airtime vouchers at Dulibadzimu Bus Terminus at a discounted price far below the wholesale price, raising suspicions.
Police followed the lead and arrested accused the two who later led them to the recovery of Chikati’s mobile phones and Netone and Econet airtime vouchers worth US$310-00 from their houses.
Police also recovered Chikati’s sling bag from Moyo’s wife.
The recovered airtime vouchers matched batch numbers from suppliers while the sling bag and the Nokia Cell phone was also positively identified.
Police also searched Nkomo and recovered a Girsan pistol and 36 live rounds of ammunition believed to have been used during the commission of the alleged crime.
The recovered pistol was examined, and its serial numbers had been tampered with and obliterated and Nkomo did not have a permit for the gun.
According to State papers Nkomo and Moyo implicated the other Moyo (Decent), Chiware, Muleya, Mapira Mabhena, and Charumbira.
The State alleges the eight, on several occasions acted in common purpose while armed with pistols and made surveillance, monitoring money changers and airtime vendors during the day.
In the evening they would make follow ups to their respective places and robbing their targets them cash and valuables.
In some instances accused fired some shots using their pistols to scare the complainants and at two of the scenes they shot complainants who are currently nursing their wounds and spent catridges were picked at scenes.
Prosecutor Ronald Mugwagwa said evidence linking all accused to the commission of offence, was available and some of it glaring like accused found with stolen property.
Police also recovered a firearm with 36 rounds of ammunition, which can be linked to the catridges recovered from scenes where the gun was used.
Besides, recovered Netone and Econet Airtime vouchers with batch numbers and serial numbers were recovered from the accused.
Nkomo is also known to have been previously convicted and have other pending cases and were not good bail candidates.