HARARE – A drunk armed robber dozed off at the crime scene after participating in a home invasion robbery in Epworth, a court heard on Tuesday.

Police arrived to find 29-year-old Fanuel Ngirandi in deep slumber and “drunk out of his mind” in a vehicle parked outside a house where he and his accomplices had tied up a family after robbing them at gunpoint.

Ngirandi was charged with armed robbery when he appeared before Harare magistrate Learnmore Mapiye on Tuesday.

He was remanded in custody to September 17.

Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that Ngirandi was part of a seven-man gang armed with a pistol and machetes that raided the home of businessman, Shadreck Haukodzi, shortly after 1AM on September 2.

It is alleged that they confronted Haukodzi demanding cash before he handed them US$370 which was in his wallet.

The gang went on to steal household goods and demanded more money, while threatening to harm Haukodzi and his family.

The businessman told the gang that he was keeping more money at his shop in Epworth, the court heard.

Haukodzi was tied up and bundled into his vehicle before one of the robbers drove to the shop.

“Upon arrival, they tied the two security guards, broke into the shop and force-marched the complainant inside,” Mutizirwa said.

The prosecutor said the men stole ZW$2,700 cash, a black bag, and a shaving machine among other items.

After picking up his loot, the heavily intoxicated Ngirandi is alleged to have gone into a storage box which was at the back of Haukodzi’s van.

His accomplices allegedly drove back to Ngirandi’s home where they tied up the family and locked them up in one of the rooms.

Prosecutors believe the gang failed to locate Ngirandi who had passed out in Haukodzi’s van.

Haukodzi’s family later managed to untie themselves and called the police.

“The police who attended the scene around 3AM discovered Ngirandi who was sleeping in the storage box while still carrying a backpack he stole from Haukodzi’s shop. The Salton hair cutter was still in the bag,” Mutizirwa said.

The prosecutor said Ngirandi was “drunk out of his mind” and did not remember much about the morning’s events.

Police are on the hunt for Ngirandi’s alleged accomplices.