by Peter Matuka
Two unknown suspects, armed with an axe viciously attacked a truck driver and robbed him of his tools box and diesel
Matabeleland North Province Police Spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed receiving the report.
He then pulled off the road and took his tools box down and left it under the truck and went back to collect his cellphone intending to inform his employer about the breakdown.
Circumstances are that on April 27 and in the early hours of the evening, Nkululeko Nkomo (44), (complainant) who was driving a "West to East" Namibian registered truck towards Bulawayo had a breakdown near Nhlambabaloyi turnoff.It is further alleged that after communicating with his employer, the complainant went back to collect his tools box but could not locate it.
He became suspicious and locked the vehicle from outside and continued searching for the tools box and as he was still searching, an unknown male suspect appeared from the bushes and drew an axe from his jacket demanding cash.
Further to that, the complainant ran away and another unknown suspect who was behind the vehicle hit him once on the back using a stone but Nkomo continued fleeing from the suspects and eventually disappeared into a nearby bush and phoned his brother Khumbulani Nkomo (30) who arrived at the scene around ,9 pm on the same day.
Together, the duo checked the vehicle and discovered that the suspects broke the fuel cap and drained approximately 350 litres of diesel from the vehicle and went away.The two brothers later slept in the vehicle until the following day where a report was made at ZRP Mbembesi who attended the scene and discovered that the complainant sustained bruises on the back and referred him to The United Bulawayo Hospitals (U.B.H) for medical attention.
The total value of the stolen property is ZAR 9 050-00 and nothing was recovered . Meanwhile, Police investigations are still in progress.