Daring thieves robbed three people of US$90 cash, a laptop, a laptop charger and three mobile phones at West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo where they had gone to conduct a ritual at the graves of their departed relatives.
This incident occurred last Saturday around 4.20 pm.
According to police who are investigating the matter, the complainants had parked their motor vehicle opposite Green Span Beerhall near West Park Cemetery, where they alighted and walked to the grave site.
“The complainants had visited West Park cemetery, Bulawayo to check on the state of their three departed relatives’ graves. The complainants are two female adults and one male adult of Mahatshula and Nketa 9 Suburbs in Bulawayo. The accused persons are two unknown male adults and two unknown female adults,” said Bulawayo Provincial Police Spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube in a press statement.
“Whilst the complainants were still searching for the grave numbers of their relatives, two male accused persons appeared from the western side of the cemetery and ordered them to lie down on their stomachs.”
Inspector Ncube said the complainants tried to resist but one of the accused persons produced a silver kitchen knife, forcing all three to comply.
“The other accused person who was also holding a knife demanded all their valuable items. The complainants surrendered their belongings, which contained a purse with US$90 cash, a laptop charger, Samsung ‘A’12 cellphone, Huawei Y5 cellphone and an Itel P15 cellphone,” said the police spokesperson.
“One of the accused person force marched one of the complainants to their motor vehicle leaving the other accused person guarding the other two complainants.”
Inspector Ncube said on their way to the motor vehicle, the accused person was then joined by two female females who suddenly emerged from the bush.
“They proceeded to where the motor vehicle was parked and the accused persons searched the car and took a Dell laptop. The three accused persons and the complainant then returned to the cemetery where they had left their counterpart with the other two complainants. The accused persons ordered the complainants to lie on the ground as they fled into the bush,” he said.
The police spokesperson said the next day, on March 21, 2021 around 9am, the three complainants proceeded to Mzilikazi Police Station and reported the matter.
“The scene was attended but the accused persons were not located. The total value of the stolen property is US$90 and ZWL$78 850. Nothing was recovered and investigations are in progress,” he said.
