A ZB BANK internal security officer suspected to have been the mastermind of a US$2.7 million heist appeared at the Harare Magistrates court yesterday charged with armed robbery.
Shadreck Njowa who was represented by Moses Nyatsoma, was remanded in custody to October 31 for trial.
Njowa was linked to the robbery after US$20 000 cash was found hidden in a pit at his rural home in Chief Mushava, Mamina.
Allegations are that on January 6, last year at around 1130 hours, Njowa and accomplices who are on remand and others still at large, were involved in a plot to rob cash in transit crew members carrying seven boxes containing cash amounting to US$2 775 000.
It is alleged Fanuel Musakwa, one of the cash-in-transit crew members, would communicate with the suspects on their location while in transit to distribute the money at ZB Bank branches in Chinhoyi, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gweru, Fife Street Bulawayo Branch, Gwanda and Zvishavane.
On the way to Chinhoyi, they picked up three hitchhikers and at the 60km peg, the passengers produced a pistol and threatened to shoot the crew.
As the drama was unfolding, more accomplices arrived in a another vehicle armed with pistols.
They offloaded the boxes of cash amounting US$2,7 million and drove off.
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They were arrested on October 19.
