Online Reporter
Peter Matika
POLICE have said the extradition from South Africa of suspects wanted for high-profile robberies, including the infamous US$4 million Ecobank heist, is at an advanced stage.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Judiciary, alongside their South African and Botswana counterparts, were concluding the matter.
Batswana police are involved since one of the suspects tried to cross into that country from South Africa.
Due to the complexity and nature of the matter, Zimbabwean police are involved with the police in these two countries in ensuring that the suspects are not implicated or involved in any other crimes.
“Police don’t work in isolation. The process involves legal parameters and must be handled with the utmost care. We must make sure that all channels are followed to the core. We don’t want any loopholes in addressing this matter,” said Comm Nyathi. He likened the process to jailed serial killer Peter Dube, who was extradited from Ireland following his dramatic escape from Zimbabwe.
“In the same vein, you should remember the case of Princess Shoko, where a married couple was extradited from South Africa back to Zimbabwe this year to face justice for killing their four-year-old niece in 2023 before skipping the country. John Zvivi (36) and Alista Sibanda (35) were transported back into Zimbabwe following their arrest in South Africa.”
Four suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the US$4 million heist, with three awaiting extradition.
Two of the suspects, brothers Abraham Tendayi and Elijah Temayi Vumbunu, were arrested in South Africa in July this year while hiding there, nearly 10 months after the robbery.
A third suspect, Bhekani Mlilo, a 39-year-old, was arrested while trying to sneak into Botswana from South Africa.
