Alleged armed robbers linked to Vumbunu syndicate denied bail

TWO men accused of orchestrating a string of armed robberies that terrorised Bulawayo — and allegedly linked to the high-profile Vumbunu crime syndicate — have been denied bail by the High Court.
Solomon Dube and Nekimiya Dladla appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Christopher Dube-Banda on Tuesday, where their application for bail pending trial was dismissed at the conclusion of arguments.

The pair, who are represented by Mr Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law Chambers, are facing armed robbery charges and are alleged to have acted with accomplices still at large.
In applying for bail, Mr Runganga told the court that his clients were unwell and required specialised medical attention, arguing that this warranted their release.

“The applicants are sick and need access to a specialist doctor. The State has not advanced compelling reasons to deny them bail,” he submitted.

However, the State strongly opposed the application, arguing that the accused posed a high flight risk and that their medical claims were unsubstantiated.

According to State papers, the accused allegedly fled while leading police officers to recover firearms used in the commission of the robberies, before being rearrested.

“As they were assisting police to recover weapons, they escaped. One of the accused has since been discharged from hospital and both have recovered. There is therefore no justification for engaging a private specialist,” the State submitted.

Prosecutors further argued that the seriousness of the charges and the severity of the likely sentence created a strong incentive for the accused to abscond if released.

“The accused are now on remand. Should any medical attention be required, it can be provided at Khami Prison Hospital, where specialist services can be arranged. Given the gravity of the offences, there is a real risk they will flee,” the State told the court.

Justice Dube-Banda agreed with the State’s submissions and dismissed the bail application.
The allegations are that in September last year, Dube and Dladla, acting in concert with an accomplice who is still at large, conspired with Sekai Vumbunu and Florence Chisiri to commit a series of armed robberies in Bulawayo.

On September 3, at around 8PM, the accused allegedly armed themselves with pistols and targeted a bureau de change in the city, where they stole US$16 668 and R151 800.

The court further heard that about a month later, the duo, again acting in connivance with Vumbunu, Chisiri and other accomplices, planned and executed another robbery targeting a businessman, Edmore Vundla.

It is alleged that on October 3, at around 11PM, the accused found Vundla seated in his parked vehicle along Leopold Takawira Avenue, between Herbert Chitepo Street and Fort Street, in the company of a companion identified as Mathuthu.

The accused allegedly threatened Vundla with a pistol before robbing him of US$35 000 in cash, and further took US$1 000 from Mathuthu.

The State alleges that the robberies were facilitated by information supplied by the Vumbunu sisters, who are linked to the Vumbunu brothers — suspects in the widely publicised US$4 million bank robbery case.

The accused remain in custody pending trial.