Suspected armed robber and gang leader Musa Taj Abdul (47), who was granted bail by High Court Judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero on Monday along with co-accused Godfrey Mupamhanga (27), Rudolf Tapiwa Kanhanga (29) and Douglas Mutenda (31), will remain in custody as the four are facing fresh charges.
Before they could post bail money yesterday, police brought up fresh charges against the suspects and requested that they remain in custody pending their remand hearing on the new charges and further investigations.
In a brief statement, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said: “As far as we are concerned, Musa Taj Abdul is still under remand and if there are any changes, we wait to be advised by the relevant Judiciary department.”
The four were arrested in Beitbridge in August with five others: Charles Lundu (47), Tapiwa Mangoma alias Tapa (27), Innocent Jairosi (32), Prince Makodza (31) and Liberty Mupamhanga (29).
Some had been sought for more than 20 years.
Adbul, Mupamhanga and Mutenda, who have been in custody for about four months, were granted $5 000 bail each by Justice Chikowero, while Kanhanga was released on $2 000 bail.
On July 25, the gang in the company of their nine co-accused persons still at large, armed themselves with a shotgun, pistol, hammer and iron bars and went to the Trauma Centre at 1 Borrowdale Lane.
After smashing down doors and stealing phones and laptops, they eventually tried and failed to open the safe.
Meanwhile the owner and his wife had been summoned and went with security guards to rescue their staff. The gang then fled but the owner gave chase and rammed twice into the back of the accused persons’ car, which plunged into a ditch at corner Borrrowdale and Beach Roads before hitting a precast wall.
The accused in the rammed car then fled on foot with their firearms while the others fled in another getaway car. A report was made at ZRP Borrowdale.
The total value of items stolen is US$3 465 and nothing was recovered.
