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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
A Harare taxi driver who was facing armed robbery charges after he was caught with a stolen phone, was yesterday freed when he identified the man who sold him the gadget in remand prison.

Wirimai Garura (32) of number 16078 Sunningdale 2 in Harare had his case withdrawn before the courts at the instance of the police. The man who sold the mobile phone to Garura, Tichaona Katsamba (36) of Mbare, was yesterday placed on remand for the armed robbery.

Harare magistrate Mr Milton Serima, remanded him in custody to March 5 .

Prosecutor Mrs Idah Mateke-Maromo, alleged that on November 22 last year along Upper East Road in Avondale, Katsamba and his accomplice planned to rob passengers.

It is alleged that the gang was armed with a gun and knives. They picked up passengers at Copacabana rank with a commuter omnibus pretending to be going to Marlborough East.

On the way, they diverted the route into Upper East Road towards Mt Pleasant.

It is alleged one of the accused withdrew a knife and ordered everyone to keep quiet. Katsamba produced a pistol and pointed it to the passengers demanding their bags. The court heard that the gang managed to steal $440 and a Samsung Galaxy S4. They pushed the passengers out of the vehicle and sped off along Pendennis Road in Mount Pleasant.