(Last Updated on January 7, 2016 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – A 29-year-old alleged serial robber who mostly targeted churches and allegedly stole property and cash amounting to $7 000 was recently granted $500 bail by High Court judge Justice Alphas Chitakunye.
As part of his bail conditions, Enock Mubengwa was ordered to report three times a week at Hatfield Police Station in Harare.
He was also ordered not to interfere with witnesses and to reside at the address he gave to the court.
Mubengwa, who is facing 10 counts of robbery, is represented by Mr Tungamirirai Muganhiri.
Allegations are that on 10 different occasions Mubengwa used the same tactic of breaking into locked church buildings using an iron bar with which he assaulted the security guards before stealing cash and mobile phones.
It is alleged that on October 14 at Zaoga Church in Sunningdale, Mubengwa, in the company of three accomplices who were still at large, used an iron bar to assault the security guard manning the premises.
The court heard that he went on to open the church’s locked door using an iron bar and looted 1 489 rands and $632 from the church safe.
Allegations are that on November 11, Mubengwa and his gang went to an Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) church in Hatfield and assaulted the security guard with an iron bar before tying his hands with a wire.
It is the State’s case that Mubengwa went on to break into the church’s safe and took $4 913, 8 119 rand and 894 pula.
Two of Mubengwa’s victims who were robbed of their cash and mobile phones had sought refuge at a Zaoga church in Hatfield.
Mubengwa was arrested after he was found in possession of some of the stolen mobile phones.
The total amount stolen was $7 238, R8 119 and P894. Only $1 053 was recovered.