By SIMBARASHE SITHOLE TWO Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers and a policeman allegedly teamed up with a civilian accomplice to rob a mine after having assaulted workers in a shaft and making good their escape with gold ore. The quartet, Collen Mukozho (31) Ngonidzashe Chinaganaga (27) (both soldiers), Douglas Ushe (36), a police officer and their alleged accomplice Wellington Nerupiri (28) appeared before Bindura magistrate Memory Chifamba on Thursday charged with armed robbery. They were remanded to December 17 on $1500 each. The State led by Prosecutor Edward Katsvairo, alleges that on October 5 the suspects went to El Shadayi Mine in Mazowe driving two cars, a Toyota Wish, registration number AFF 2894 and a Nissan Caravan registration number AFF 7099, which they parked in the bush and walked to the mine. Upon arrival, they saw the mine workers sleeping and assaulted them and those who tried to resist were pushed into the mine shaft. The quartet demanded gold ore from the miners which collected and packed it in sacks. The sped off in their cars. Mine workers regrouped and gave chase. The Caravan’s rear tire burst and the miners tried to apprehend the suspects, who were armed with unknown weapons. The miners filed a police report. Police officers acted swiftly and arrested the suspects.
