Four people appeared before a Harare court yesterday on allegations of trying to stash part of the loot stolen by suspected armed robbers that were arrested last week in connection with the US$2,5 million heist that occurred along the Harare-Chinhoyi Road.
Chiedza Musvibe-Chirara (32), Juliet Chirara (38), Chipo Chirara (42) and Levy Idana (36) were facing charges of defeating the course of justice when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga.
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Juliet, Chiedza and Chipo were freed on $10 000 bail each, while Idana was remanded in custody to January 17 for bail ruling.
The court heard that on a date unknown to the prosecutor, but after the ZB Bank cash-in-transit robbery which occurred on January 6, Chiedza, who is wife to alleged armed robber Charles Chirara, took her husband’s share of US$100 000 cash from Juliet and Chipo, who are her sisters-in-law.
It is alleged that upon arrival at their place of residence, the trio discussed how they would safe-keep the money and agreed to dig a hole inside the house, where they put the money and covered it with cement before placing a wardrobe on top of where the money had been hidden.
It is alleged that after learning of Chiedza’s husband’s arrest on January 12, the trio retrieved the money before vacating their places of residence.
The court heard that they subsequently phoned Idana seeking refuge, after which they were advised to stop using their cellphones as they could be tracked by the police.
It is the State’s case that Idana secured a place for them and rented a flat in Bluffhill, Harare.
It is alleged that when detectives arrived at Juliet’s place of residence intending to recover the money, they discovered that no one was there.
The court heard that on January 14, the detectives received information that the trio was now staying in Bluffhill.
They made a follow-up, leading to the quartet’s arrest.
Source – Sunday Mail
