TWO men who are suspected to have been part of a gang that robbed the Nedbank branch in Belmont, Bulawayo, disappearing with more than US$270 000 in August last year have been arrested.
Lovemore Gambiza (45) and Elias Mudenda (46) pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Sibonginkosi Mkandla on Wednesday this week.
The magistrate remanded them in custody to June 3.
The court heard that on August 26, 2023 at 1pm, Cynthia Fungai Zhou, representing Nedbank and her colleagues, knocked off duty leaving the bank intact including the money which was later stolen.
It is alleged that during the night, Gambiza and Mudenda acting in connivance with Aggipa Mloyi, Dingilizwe Mloyi, Nqobile Mloyi, Sipho Tshuma, Bhekani Mlilo and one SaMandla, who are still at large, hatched a plan to steal from the bank.
The group allegedly went to the bank where, on arrival, Gambiza and Mudenda scaled the precast wall and cut the razor wire.
It is also alleged that the two removed the burglar bar at the back office and gained entry to the bank where they opened the server room and used a gas torch to cut open the vault that contained cash.
The group allegedly stole US$272 000, 420 000 rand, five gold coins weighing one ounce each with a total value of US$10 056,40 and a Network video recorder worth US$109.
- 3 drivers nabbed over Zesa cables theft
- Letter from America: Democrats believe in Voodoo economics
- Social Commentary: Chiredzi villagers struggle with hunger, food insecurity
- Artistes condemn “Operation Dudula’s” xenophobic attack
Keep Reading
The group disappeared and bank employees only discovered the offence on August 28 when they reported for work.
A report was made to the police who attended the scene and recovered cigarette stubs and used tissue paper from the scene. The items were taken for DNA testing.
Investigations were instituted leading to Gambiza and Mudenda’s arrest and the recovery of US$12 500 and R57 500 with Nedbank seals which had been buried in the bush 20km along Bulawayo-Plumtree Road from the former.
Police further recovered US$1 000 and R16 880 from Mudenda which was stashed under a tyre inside a disused thatched house in Binga and US$3 000 from a house in Cowdray Park in Bulawayo where he stays.
The police also recovered the cars used in committing the offence — a Toyota Hiace and a Toyota Venture including the cutting torch used to open the vault.
DNA samples collected from the objects recovered from the crime scene will also be used as exhibits during trial.
Police have since recovered US$16 500 and R74 630 of the loot.
