Two soldiers are due to appear in court today facing charges of murder and armed robbery after they got away with US$40 000 in heist at a Hatfield house in Harare.

Lameck Kabara from the Zimbabwe National Defence College and Christopher Charuma, who is with the Air Force of Zimbabwe based at Manyame Airbase, were arrested on Sunday night over the December 24 robbery and the murder of Elvis Chijaka.

Police are also holding a third suspect, Perseverence Chihota, a civilian.

Police said Chijaka was shot dead after interrupting a robbery following a call from his sister who was inside the house.

The two men wearing balaclavas and firing an AK47 rifle also wounded Brian Chijaka, who is admitted to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital.

The robbers drove off in a white Mercedes Benz Compressor C200 after ransacking the house and stealing US$40 000.

Investigators recovered 25 spent cartridges from an AK47 rifle.
The armed robbery and murder occurred not very far from the Chadcombe house of Joseph Nemaisa.

Police investigations revealed that rogue soldiers were running armed robbery rings from army barracks.