Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, [email protected]
ONE of the suspects accused of taking part in the US$4 million Ecobank Bulawayo heist has been released from remand after spending 10 months in custody without a trial date being set.
Bhekani Mlilo, who was extradited from Botswana last year, was removed from remand on Friday after Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube dismissed a State application seeking his further remand.
The State will now proceed by way of summons once the other accused persons, who are still awaiting extradition, have been brought before the courts.
Mlilo appeared before Mr Ncube facing a charge of armed robbery.
The State, represented by Ms Rumbi Gwishiri, had applied for his further remand to September 28, but the magistrate declined the application.
“Accused has been in remand prison for 10 months with no trial date being allocated. The accused cannot continue being on remand for the failed extradition of the other suspects. Further remand is refused. When other suspects have been extradited, the State will proceed by way of summons for commencement of a trial,” said Mr Ncube.
Mlilo was represented by Mr Tawanda Tavengwa of Mvundla Tavengwa Solicitors.
The court heard that on October 3 last year at around 3.30PM, Mlilo allegedly acted in concert with several accomplices, including the Vumbunu brothers, Elijah Temayi and Abraham, as well as
Simon Xola Ngcobo, Menzeli Mpofu, Khalid Ntimen and others still at large, in the robbery of Ecobank’s Bulawayo branch.
Ms Gwishiri told the court that the Vumbunu brothers have since been arrested in South Africa and are awaiting extradition to Zimbabwe.
The alleged gang reportedly used a white Ford Ranger bearing South African registration plates.
The vehicle was allegedly registered in the name of Nomsa Aneline Zingela.
The court heard that before carrying out the robbery, the suspects allegedly replaced the South
African registration plates with Zimbabwean plates before driving to Ecobank at the corner of 9th
Avenue and Fife Street in Bulawayo.
Ms Gwishiri said the suspects were armed when they arrived at the bank and allegedly intercepted a Safeguard cash-in-transit vehicle.
“They apprehended the guards and held them hostage, threatening to shoot them if they resisted.
The accused persons took four metal boxes containing cash. Three of the boxes were from the Ecobank branch at 9th Avenue and Fife Street, containing US$3 983 500. They also took three guns from Safeguard security guards,” she said.
An additional cash box was allegedly taken from Ecobank’s Bradfield branch and contained US$465 500.
“The accused loaded the boxes into their getaway vehicle and fled the scene,” said Ms Gwishiri.
The alleged robbery involved more than US$4,4 million in cash stolen from the two branches.
Mlilo is also facing a separate case in which he is accused of masterminding a break-in at a Nedbank branch in Bulawayo, where nearly US$300 000, more than R2,4 million and five gold coins were allegedly stolen.
The Nedbank trial has already commenced, with two State witnesses having testified.
However, proceedings have stalled after a key State witness was not served with a subpoena to attend court and testify.
