A family was held up at gunpoint in a terrifying ordeal after a mistress unhappy with the financial support she was receiving decided to rob her wealthy, married lover, a court heard on Friday.
Beaular Zimondi, 33, was not asked to plead to charges of armed robbery when she appeared before Harare magistrate Taurai Manuwere who remanded her in custody to November 28 for her bail hearing.
Zimondi, of Hurn Close in Ashdorn Park, Harare, allegedly hired four men to rob her lover Jonathan Gapare, the owner of Alpha Properties which is headquartered at MIPF House in Harare. The company sells housing and commercial stands at major towns and cities across the country.
She disputed a signed “confession” she allegedly gave to police, telling the court that she was coerced to admit to committing the crime.
She accused Gapare’s son of assaulting her sister over unclear reasons, as she confessed hiring people to revenge the assault by beating her lover’s son.
“Unfortunately, the hired people did not do as planned and ended up robbing the family. I would never rob Gapare,” she maintained.
The National Prosecuting Authority alleges that Gapare and Zimondi have been lovers since 2020.
Zimondi, it is alleged, was not satisfied with the financial support she was getting from Gapare and wanted more.
She allegedly planned the robbery with Daniel Mutasa, Taurai Pangai and two other suspects named only as Sir Calaz and Gunners, who are on the run.
The gang met several times to perfect their plan at locations including kwaMereki and Showgrounds, says the NPA.
On October 29 this year, Zimondi allegedly accommodated her allegedly accomplices. On her instructions, the quartet allegedly arrived at the Gapare home in the same neighbourhood armed with pistols.
They introduced themselves to Gapare, stating that they had been sent by his client Dingulwazi Moyo to collect some money.
He ushered them into the house and once inside, the men allegedly produced guns and tied all the people in the house using shoelaces and electric cables.
The robbers allegedly demanded cash and took US$1,490 cash and various electronic gadgets.
They allegedly exited the house through a back door before scaling a precast wall.
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