(Last Updated on February 18, 2016 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – Two soldiers stationed at Pomona Barracks are standing accused of robbing and raping the wife of a security personnel who was manning at Cheviot Service Station in Harare.
Ravrage Chigagure and Jeremiah Makaza are also standing accused of possessing explosives and attempting to escape from lawful custody.
The duo is nursing injuries at the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals after they were shot whilst attempting to escape from the police.
Chigagure and Makaza are facing armed robbery, rape, unlawful entry and illegal possession of explosives charges.
They were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe who remanded them whilst in hospital to March 3.
Prosecutor Peter Kachirika had it that on the wee hours of January 12 the two in the company of Tinashe Jokonya, Tonderai Nyamukondiwa and Emmanuel Dzikiti went to Cheviot Service station.
They were driving a Honda Fit registration ACV 4924.
It is said that they approached a security guard who was manning the garage and handcuffed him.
Reports are that they also tied his legs with a string they got from his bicycle before searching him and took away his cellphones .
Allegations are they forced-marched him to the caretakers’ house where they identified themselves as police to the occupants.
The court heard that Chigagure, Makaza and their accomplices told people who were at the caretaker’s house that they had apprehended the security guard for theft.
Further allegations are that Chigagure and Makaza ordered the occupants at the caretaker’s house to open the door but they refused.
They then force-opened the door and ordered everyone to cover themselves with blankets.
It is said that they left one of them on guard whilst others returned to the service station’s offices where they blasted the built-in safe and took US$4 382.
They also allegedly broke into the tuck-shop and stole US$80 and airtime recharge cards valued at US$25.
Prosecutor Kachirika also had it that Chigagure also raped a woman who was one of the occupants at the caretaker’s house.
The suspects were arrested in Kadoma after detectives spotted their car and gave a chase resulting in a shout-out that left the two wounded.
Upon their arrest they were found with 9 green fused detonators, dynamites and other explosives.