BULAWAYO- Three men have been hospitalised with horrific injuries after being slashed with machetes in seperate incidents in Bulawayo.
A gang of machete-wielding thugs targeted residents of Emakhandeni on Wednesday evening, police said.
The violent rampage began around 6:45PM when two suspects targeted victims walking home along a footpath near Amakhosi grounds and Apollo shops in Emakhandeni, attacking them with machetes and a hammer.
The attacks follow a pattern of violent crimes reported across Bulawayo involving thugs armed with machetes. Police have linked the gangs to mushrooming illegal gold mines on the city’s outskirts.
Inspector Nomalanga Msebele for Bulawayo police said: “The robbers first ambushed a 52-year-old man, striking him on the head with a machete and stealing a Huawei Y9 cellphone, US$20, and a wallet.
“Less than an hour later, the same assailants attacked a second victim, aged 40, along a footpath near Apollo.
“The robbers attempted to strike him on the head, but he blocked the blow and sustained injuries to both hands. They fled with his Huawei P8 Lite cellphone, US$70, and clothing items, including a red hoodie and black tennis shoes worth a combined US$200.
“The gang’s third victim was a 38-year-old man from Gwabalanda. He was struck three times on the head with a machete and once on the forehead with a hammer.
“The suspects took his Samsung J4 Core cellphone, US$100, and a yellow satchel containing clothes.”
All three victims managed to walk to Apollo shopping centre in Emakhandeni where an ambulance was called to transport them to Mpilo Hospital for treatment.
Police said the total value of stolen property was US$570.
“We appeal to members of the public to avoid using secluded paths and roads, especially during the night, to prevent such incidents,” Msebele said.
Police are urging anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to come forward.
Bulawayo police have arrested over a dozen suspects in recent weeks for committing robberies armed with machetes, a common tool for clearing overgrown grass, shrubs and small trees in the mining industry.
