Arron Nyamayaro
ARMED robbers, who have been terrorising the Greencroft neighbourhood of Harare, raided a house, which belongs to a 76-year-old woman, and set it on fire.
Vaidah Tinga Murahwa was about to hold her daily night prayer, at 1am, when the armed robbers struck.
She escaped without injuries from the inferno.
Murahwa, who struggles to walk due to severe leg pains, had to crawl out of the burning house to safety. Police and neighbours said the armed robbers destroyed property worth thousands of dollars.
Part of the property was reduced to ashes in the blaze. The incident has intensified fear among residents of Westgate, Mabelreign, Marlborough and the surrounding areas, who accuse armed robbers of, among other things, killing a security guard.
Murahwa’s family said she was about to pray when she heard some noises, which appeared to be coming from above her house.
“I heard some noise when I was about to pray at around 1am,” she said.
“I thought it was best to inform my neighbours through our Community WhatsApp group.”
She said her maid and the maid’s baby were asleep in another room.
However, she said, the noise continued.
“I got frightened and when I saw that some members had seen my messages, I shouted for help,” Murahwa said.
“Some community members risked their lives and came. Soon, the house was filled with smoke and it was on fire.”
Murahwa added: “I cannot walk well because of leg pains, so I had to crawl outside.”
A neighbour told journalists that residents were still living in fear as the armed robbers, who have been targeting their neighbourhood for some time now, continue to wreak havoc.
“We lost a life to these armed robbers and some are still nursing injuries,” he said.
“This time, a house was reduced to ashes.”
He said the armed robbers allegedly switched off alarms in the area and residents are trying to find out how they did it.
“Besides cash, they are now targeting valuables like solar panels,” the neighbour said.
By the time fire-fighters arrived, the damage had already been done and nothing was recovered, according to the residents.
The armed robbers, who have been targeting this part of Harare, are believed to have killed a security guard at Hallingbury Primary School.
They are also accused of assaulting security guards at Mabelreign Girls High School and stealing more than US$31,000 from an orphanage home in Goodhope.
They also allegedly took cash and valuables from Marlborough High School.
While three of the suspected robbers have been caught on CCTV, they are yet to be caught despite police increasing their presence in the area.
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