There has been an increase in armed robberies targeting motorists who would stop in high crime areas seeking to hire sex workers.
Over the weekend, several suspected robbers were taken to court over such attacks.
Munyaarazi Chatungodza and Nhlanhla Diwah on Friday appeared before Harare magistrate Apollonia Marutia to face robbery charges.
The allegations state that on January 13, at Greencroft Stores at around 3am, the complainant, who was not named in state papers, was speaking to a sex worker named Shakira, through his window.
While the two were negotiating, a blue Honda Fit was parked next to the complainant’s Toyota Hilux, and the passenger pointed out Chatungudza and Dewah who were parked nearby in a Toyota Sienta.
The Toyota Sienta stopped behind the blue Honda Fit before they attacked the complainant from all angles and pushed him out of his car.
After the gang took his valuables, two mobile phones and a wallet containing US$250, they drove away.
In another incident, Edelbert Samaningi and Lokmore Madzvanzira appeared before Regional Magistrate Letwin Rodzi on charges of theft.
They attacked Tinashe Chifamba shortly after he hired a sex worker at Chikwanha Shopping Centre.
The court heard that Chifamba parked his Honda Fit at Chikwanha Shopping Center in Chitungwiza where he was communicating with a sex worker.
Chivamba then drove his car and parked it a few meters from the shopping centre.
Samaninge and Madzvanzira allegedly approached his car, smashed the driver’s window and stabbed him in the right ear.
Chifamba fled the scene, abandoning his car, which the duo drove away.
In another case, Samaninge and Madzvanzira pursued another complainant, who parked his car at a VIP night club in Chikwanha, whose friend, Onuel Hweredza, had had a relationship with a sex worker.
Hwiredza moved the car a few blocks away from the club where he was allegedly attacked by Samaninge and Madzvanzira, with their accomplice on the run.
They demanded valuables and took three mobile phones and a wallet containing US$13.
They then pushed Hwiridza out of the car and robbed her.
The car was later recovered dumped along Seki Road. h metro
