BY Richard Muponde
MACHETE gangs pounced on Masvingo High Court Judge, Justice Garainesu Mawadze’s Waterfalls house in Harare where they severely assaulted his son, and left him for dead. They also stole US$1 500 and other items.
Another machete gang also raided a Kuwadzana forex dealer and stole US$300 and ZWL$18 000.
The two incidents happened on Tuesday.
Reports are that a gang of over 10 men armed with machetes, an assortment of weapons and pepper sprays pounced on Justice Mawadze’s house at around 6pm when there was no one at home.
After getting into the yard, they sprayed his two dogs with pepper spray and tied them to a tree.
They then stripped his Mercedes Benz E400 of its four wheels and a grill after which they broke the French door to his house to gain entry.
On getting into the house, they reportedly ransacked the house, turning everything upside down and stole US$1 500, an iPhone and DVD player.
Reports indicate that the judge’s son arrived while they were still inside the house and they sprayed him with pepper spray before assaulting him, leaving him unconscious.
After the robbery, they disappeared from the scene and are reportedly still at large.
Judiciary Service Commission spokesperson Brian Nkiwane confirmed the robbery without giving more details.
“We confirm receiving such a report and we can’t say much as the matter is under police investigations,” Nkiwane said.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was attending a workshop.
In the Kuwadzana robbery, reports say a gang of six robbed a forex dealer of US$300 and ZWL$18 000 which was in his EcoCash account.
The gang reportedly arrived at Earnest Mukuzo’s house in Kuwadzana 3 at around 1am wearing masks armed with an iron bar, hammer and a pistol.
They awoke him and demanded cash.
In fear, Mukuzo handed over US$300 and his two cellphones which had ZWL$18 000 mobile money.
The gang also demanded his EcoCash pin code.
After robbing him, they allegedly struck him with an iron bar on both hands.
Mukuzo sustained a deep cut on his right hand.
