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Mashudu Mambo

ONE of the five suspects who pounced on CBZ Bank’s Fife Street branch in Bulawayo in September last year and got away with more than US$90 000 has been arrested. 

Bhekimpilo Ncube (38) of Gwabalanda suburb in Bulawayo allegedly ganged up with four other suspects, three of whom are still at large while one is now deceased, and raided the bank. 

They masqueraded as genuine customers and queued just like everyone else in the banking hall. When they were about to be served, the quintet then pounced on the bank manager and got away with the money.

Ncube appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Collet Ncube on Wednesday facing armed robbery charges. He was not asked to plead and remanded in custody to February 7.

Prosecuting, Ms Nkanyezi Xaba said on September 13 last year at around midday, Lenience Clifford Nyoni, one Thembani, one Mdolomba and Gift Sebata who is now deceased, entered the CBZ banking hall at corner 10th Avenue and Fife Street in Bulawayo through the official entry point.

While inside, the gang produced three revolver pistols and disarmed the security guard, one Thomas Mwinde before threatening to shoot the clients.

The court heard that the gang ordered Mwinde to open a vault at gunpoint and took about US$77 000 and R76 000 which was in the safe.

They then proceeded to the counters where they stole US$10 917 and R4 440. Ncube then later arrived at the scene driving a silver Honda Fit and his accomplices jumped into the car and sped off.

Investigations led to Ncube’s arrest leading to the recovery of US$1 500.

In 2020, the same bank’s 8th Avenue branch was robbed of $2,1 million, US$3 362 and R7 390 after six armed robbers attacked two security guards who were delivering Zupco’s weekend cash collections. 

Only $11 305 was recovered at a disused house at a plot in the Douglasdale area in Bulawayo where the getaway car, a Nissan Hardbody and trunks used by the security company to carry cash were recovered.

The incident came barely a month after another raid at a local financial institution where four gun-wielding robbers got away with a total of US$100 000 and R500 000.

The gang had intercepted a cash-in-transit Safeguard vehicle outside a money transfer agent in the city centre.

A month earlier, armed robbers also raided the Mukuru branch along 13th Avenue, between Lobengula and Herbert Chitepo Street.

Following an increase in armed robbery cases, President Mnangagwa in August last year issued an amnesty to all members of the public who are in possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition to surrender them to the Zimbabwe Republic Police.