The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
A HOT Springs businessman and his family endured 20 minutes of terror after five armed robbers pounced on their homestead, assaulted him and his wife while firing live ammunition before they made off with cash and smart phones during last Saturday night.
The terrifying armed robbery that saw Mr Divine Gamunorwa (33) losing US$2 100, R4 000, $150 RTGS and two smart phones, is one of a number of incidents now common in the diamond rich area.
When The Manica Post visited Hot Springs Business Centre on Tuesday, the incident was still the talk of the area.
Mr Gamunorwa, who runs a grocery shop as well as a night club at Hot Springs Business Centre, narrated his ordeal at the hands of the armed robbers.
He said the incident occurred around 9pm.
“It was around 9pm when I came back from the shops and saw my dogs barking. I suspected that something was wrong since this was not usual of them. I first thought thieves had tried to steal fuel from my truck parked just outside the fence.
“I disembarked from my vehicle went straight to the truck and everything was in order. I went to open the gate and when I was about to get back into my vehicle in order to drive inside the yard, all hell broke loose.
“Five men came out of a bush opposite our homestead and approached me. Two of them were holding pistols. They claimed to be officers from CID and asked for an unlicensed gun that they alleged to be in my possession. I told them I do not possess a gun and in any way that is not the way police officers operate.
“They started assaulting me and fired two shots perhaps as a way to scare me. I insisted that I do not have any gun in my possession. As I tried to wrestle them, they sprayed a substance that left my eyes itchy and unable to see properly,” he said.
Mr Gamunorwa said he eventually managed to open one of his eyes and found a way to run away and even though the robbers fired two more shots, he did not stop.
“I instantly ran away and even though the robbers fired two more shots, I did not stop. I had told myself that it was all the same, they would eventually kill me if they wanted to,” he said.
The businessman said the robbers proceeded to break the locks to their doors to gain entry into the house where his mother, wife, young brother and his wife were.
“Upon gaining entrance into our house they started assaulting my wife demanding the keys to our safe. She refused to give them. Realising that they did not have much time since I had already escaped, they went on to break the doors to our bedroom then stole two cell phones and US$800 which was in the house.
“On their way out, they ransacked my vehicle and took US$1 300 as well as $150 RTGS. They disappeared in the dark,” said Mr Gamunorwa.
