Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
TWO illegal gold panners who allegedly trailed a haulage truck, which was coming from a mine in Filabusi before they attacked and robbed the driver of 1,17kg of gold worth $1 million at gunpoint have been released on $1 000 bail each.
The daring robbers pounced on the truck near Pumula Police Station in Bulawayo.
Zamani Moyo (43) of Old Pumula and Thandazani Dube (41) of Pumula South and three accomplices who are still at large spotted Mr Gordon Sibanda as he was driving out of a gold mine in Filabusi and followed him. They attacked and robbed him of 1,17kg of gold after he had decided to park his truck along Hyde Park road near Pumula Police Station.
The ruling by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo follows an application for bail pending trial by the two applicants, through their lawyer Mr Abel Ndlovu, citing the State as a respondent.
Justice Moyo ordered Moyo and Dube to pay $1 000 bail each and to report twice a week at Pumula Police Station.
She also ordered them to continue residing at their given addresses as part of the bail conditions until the matter is finalised.
In their bail statement through their lawyer Mr Ndlovu the two applicants are denying the charges and argued there are no compelling reasons warranting their continued detention pending trial.
“The applicants are perfect candidates for bail as there appears to be no compelling reasons by the investigating officer to oppose bail. In his affidavit, the investigating officer stated that the applicants were a flight risk because they are facing a serious offence yet the seriousness of an offence alone cannot be used as grounds to deny one bail,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He said there was no evidence proffered by the investigating officer suggesting that his clients were likely to abscond or interfere with investigations if released on bail.
The State, which was represented by Mrs Sifiso Ndlovu-Sibanda opposed the application, arguing that there was no guarantee that if released on bail, the two accused persons would not abscond due to the gravity of the offence.
According to court papers, on March 6 this year, Moyo and Dube spotted Mr Sibanda as he was driving out of a gold mine in Filabusi.
They allegedly ganged up with three accomplices who are still at large and followed the complainant’s truck in their Honda Fit, which had no number plates. It was stated that the complainant decided to park his truck along Hyde Park road near Pumula Police Station for security reasons.
The gang also parked their car a few metres away from the truck and immediately pounced on Mr Sibanda. They pulled out a pistol and threatened to kill him before assaulting him using a wheel spanner on the head as they demanded gold.
They searched the truck and took 1,17kg of gold which was hidden under the driver’s seat and sped off in their getaway car.
A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Moyo and Dube and subsequent recovery of some of the stolen gold worth $190 000. The other suspects are still at large. — @mashnets
Online Reporter