BY NKOSENTSHA KHUMALO ONE of the seven armed robbers who raided Access Finance Bureau De Change in Bulawayo and got away with thousands of United States dollars appeared in court yesterday.
Nkosilathi Ncube (43) of Metropolitan flat, Alexander street Johannesburg in South Africa, and his crew made off with US$246 682, R947 169, 1 000 Pula, 100 Euros and $11 400.
The robbery allegedly took place on March 10, last year.
Ncube pleaded not guilty to the armed robbery charge when he appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga on Wednesday, who was remanded him in custody to June 27 for trial continuation.
Ncube also gave his address as Gwanda’s Magwe Irrigation Scheme under Chief Mathe.
Prosecutor Naison Chivayo told the court that on March 10, 2021 at around 8am, Ncube with six other accomplices who are still at large, pounced at Access Finance Bureau De Change at 1A Parkade Centre, 9th Avenue between Five Street and George Silundika armed with pistols.
They overpowered a security guard whom they disarmed of his 38 special revolver pistol loaded with three rounds of ammunition.
Five other suspects then entered the bank where they jumped over to the tellers cubicle and stole cash amounting to US$246 682, R947 169, P1 000, £100 and $11 400.
On their way out, the suspects were intercepted by a Safeguard reaction team. But the criminals disarmed the reaction team, and fled in a Safeguard vehicle.
They dumped the vehicle and 2 empty cash boxes at the corner of Fairbridge and Kingsley road, Malindela.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Scenes of crime team attended the scene and managed to lift fingerprints from the vehicle.
On August 9, 2021 Ncube was arrested at Fourwinds where he had been involved in another separate robbery.