Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu, Echo Deputy Editor
TWO key suspects in the Ecobank US$4 million heist that shook Bulawayo are finally behind bars, in South Africa.
Abraham Temayi Vumbunu and Elijah Temayi Vumbunu were dramatically arrested on Saturday, bringing a major twist to one of Zimbabwe’s biggest bank robberies in recent years.
National Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the pair’s capture, saying they were cornered while police intensified their hunt for others still on the run.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Abraham Temayi Vumbunu and Elijah Temayi Vumbunu in connection with the US$4 million Ecobank robbery which occurred on 3 October 2024. The suspects were arrested on 5 July 2025 in the Republic of South Africa. The due processes of the law are now taking effect for their extradition to Zimbabwe,” said Comm Nyathi.
The arrest marks a major breakthrough in a case that had gripped the nation, involving insiders, high-speed escapes, and a missing fortune that sparked international attention.
Police sources say the Vumbunu brothers had been moving between provinces in South Africa, laying low as heat intensified. Investigators, working with Interpol and regional law enforcement, finally tracked them down after weeks of surveillance.
The extradition process is now underway, and Zimbabwean authorities are expected to fly to South Africa in the coming days to bring the duo back to face justice.
Meanwhile, the mystery of where the money is still lingers.
As the net tightens, more arrests are expected in what’s turning out to be a blockbuster crime saga that’s far from over.
On Friday, two suspects appeared in court in Bulawayo but their lawyers ripped through the case and they were cleared of the robbery charges.
Watch this space.
