Online Reporter
Peter Matika, [email protected]
The 49-year-old security guard, who was arrested in connection with the high-profile US$4 million Ecobank armed robbery has been denied bail after the State suggested that there is a likelihood he might interfere with witnesses.
Sibonginkosi Sibanda, 49, of Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo, is facing a money laundering charge, after police admitted they had no evidence linking him to the heist.
However, they accused him of being part of the syndicate and procuring several properties with the “spoils” from the heist.
Bulawayo Magistrate Mr Mathew Mutiro, remanded Sibanda in custody until July 21 for further hearing.
Sibanda appeared in court last week after police announced they had made advancements in the investigation.
He was represented by Mr Prince Butshe-Dube of Butshe and Associates, who said he was awaiting further instructions on how to handle the matter.
The odds, during the court case, appeared to be in favour of Sibanda on his initial appearance when the case took a dramatic nosedive, as a last-minute police blunder exposed critical flaws in the investigation.
The promised showdown in court turned into an embarrassing retreat, leaving more questions than answers about the fate of the country’s largest unsolved cash-in-transit heist.
Mr Butshe-Dube, who mounted a robust defense and effectively challenged the investigating officer, Detective Assistant Inspector Tawedzerwa Shiriyapenga, during cross-examination, significantly weakened the prosecution’s case. As a result, Sibanda may have had a chance at freedom.
During the proceedings, Mr Butshe-Dube questioned the foundation of the charges, pointing out that the pair had initially been arrested for armed robbery.
He pressed Shiriyapenga on why the charges had been altered, despite the original arrest being based on robbery allegations.
Shiriyapenga denied arresting the suspects for robbery, a claim quickly undermined when his affidavit, compiled that very morning, contradicted his statement.
Mr Butshe-Dube continued his line of questioning, exposing further inconsistencies in Shiriyapenga’s testimony.
In court, Shiriyapenga alleged that Sibanda had acquired several properties, some of which were registered under his wife’s and daughter’s names.
The properties in question include two houses, one in Cowdray Park and another in Mbundane, two rural homesteads, a Honda Fit and a Hino truck.
Despite being visibly unsettled during cross-examination, Shiriyapenga insisted that Sibanda posed a flight risk and opposed the granting of bail.
Mr Butshe-Dube argued that Sibanda was a suitable candidate for bail, citing his clean record and the absence of any evidence linking him to criminal activity.
The famous heist, still regarded as the largest in the country’s history, remains unsolved.
With the capture of two new suspects in the case, the police may finally be able to put the puzzle together.
