Bulawayo SDA church robbery leaves one person dead

Bulawayo: Seventh-Day Adventist owned  Pelandaba School in Bulawayo lost an employee after a night guard died in the hands of a gang that pounced on him during a robbery gone wrong.

The guard identified by his employers as Buton Skalongo died on admission to Mpilo Central Hospital while his colleague Mr Vusa Tshuma survived the attack.

According to sources, four men broke into the school and church, which are located on the same premises, at around midnight yesterday, Monday, 16th and brutally attacked the two guards.

They allegedly tied them with ropes and left them in a passage.

The armed robbers escaped unnoticed after stealing $200 and two laptops from the school guard room and the church safe.

Both Mr Tshuma and Mr Skalongo were rescued at around 6AM and rushed to hospital.

Mr Skalongo died on admission to the hospital while Mr Tshuma was treated and discharged.

The church’s  West Zimbabwe Conference spokesperson Pastor Tadius Nkanyezi said the church was in mourning.

“We had a break in yesterday night at Pelandaba Primary School and church and two guards who were manning the premises were severely attacked.

Unfortunately, one of them, Skalongo, died at hospital and the other one survived.

“We hope investigations will help us identify the four men. We are working on getting the fuller details,” he said.

Bulawayo police are still investigating the incident.