Bulawayo has experienced a spate of armed robberies in recent days with Walter Dhobha of Tshabalala suburb being a victim.
Speaking to the Chronicle, Dhobha revealed how the armed robbers broke into his bedroom through a window while he was sleeping with his wife and tied his hands and legs before masking his face with a cloth. He said:
They entered through our bedroom en-suite, one of them was carrying a torch and the one armed with a gun was wearing a mask. They ordered me to lie on the ground.
They said they were here for the money, not my life. They moved to my wife whom they assaulted. They slapped her several times demanding to be shown where the money is kept.
I used to own several kombis last year so maybe they thought the business was still viable and I had a lot of money at home. But now I’m just a caretaker at the local shops and I sell eggs. I now fear for my life and that.
The man lost $800, R600 and US$20 to the robbers which his wife handed over after she had been repeatedly assaulted. The robbers warned the children not to make noise. He said:
They were speaking in isiNdebele saying omalume abatshayi bantwana balande ukuzosebenza kuphela, so bangabangi umsindo (the uncles were just here to work and will not hurt kids and therefore the children should not make any noise).