News / Africa
Zimbabweans in court for robbing Barclays Botswana
02 May 2013 at 06:25hrs | Views
A branch manager at a bank in Botswana has told the court how three Zimbabweans stormed her bank, demanding cash.
Ketshabile Motswasele, branch manager of Selebi-Phikwe Barclays Bank Prestige Branch said she saw an armed man cocking his gun at the main entrance to the banking hall.
She said she was assisting a customer around 4.55pm when a tall, slim man entered her office. The man did not want her to finish with the customer she was helping and told her "this is a bloody f***ng robbery".Motswasele said the man pulled her by hand towards the cashiers' cubicles. She then instructed the cashiers to give him money. She said as they were about to reach the cashiers' cubicles, another man entered her office with a briefcase.
The two men then opened the tills and stuffed the briefcase with money. However, they left $600 that Motswasele suspects they did not see. The robbers then ordered everybody to lie down. Motswasele said at that moment, she managed to press the panic button and lay down as order. She said the robbery happened quickly and when she stood up, the thugs were nowhere to be found.
She was testifying in a case where three Zimbabweans, Noxman Ndlovu, William Ncube and Patrick Mpala have denied robbing Barclays Bank in 2010.The trio are accused of robbing Barclays Bank (Prestige Branch) of P20,113 and R12,700 in Selebi-Phikwe. They face another charge of unlawful possession of firearms. The second state witness in the case, Slumber Moagi, a bank customer, told the court that during the time the robbery was committed, he was in the branch manager's office to take money.
He said when he was still being helped by the manager, he heard a harsh voice saying "this is a bloody f***ng robbery". He said the man then pulled the manager by hand towards the cashiers' cubicles and announced that he would shoot anyone who tries to call for help.
Moagi said the robbery happened quickly and the men escaped in a white Corolla that was parked at the bank's parking lot. The third witness, Constance Rankane (Personal Banker for Barclays Bank) told the court that during the day of the robbery, she saw two men entering the bank while another stood at the entrance. She said the two men then entered the manager's office. "They were carrying a gun and a bag.
They then instructed the manager to tell cashiers to open their tills and give them money," she said. Rankane said the man standing at the door told her to drop the phone and pointed a gun at her.He said the two men who entered the manager's office quickly left and escaped in a white Corolla. She said shortly after the three men left, she went outside the bank and noted the car's registration number (B 867 AAS).The car has been produced as an exhibit. The case continues.
Ketshabile Motswasele, branch manager of Selebi-Phikwe Barclays Bank Prestige Branch said she saw an armed man cocking his gun at the main entrance to the banking hall.
She said she was assisting a customer around 4.55pm when a tall, slim man entered her office. The man did not want her to finish with the customer she was helping and told her "this is a bloody f***ng robbery".Motswasele said the man pulled her by hand towards the cashiers' cubicles. She then instructed the cashiers to give him money. She said as they were about to reach the cashiers' cubicles, another man entered her office with a briefcase.
The two men then opened the tills and stuffed the briefcase with money. However, they left $600 that Motswasele suspects they did not see. The robbers then ordered everybody to lie down. Motswasele said at that moment, she managed to press the panic button and lay down as order. She said the robbery happened quickly and when she stood up, the thugs were nowhere to be found.
He said when he was still being helped by the manager, he heard a harsh voice saying "this is a bloody f***ng robbery". He said the man then pulled the manager by hand towards the cashiers' cubicles and announced that he would shoot anyone who tries to call for help.
Moagi said the robbery happened quickly and the men escaped in a white Corolla that was parked at the bank's parking lot. The third witness, Constance Rankane (Personal Banker for Barclays Bank) told the court that during the day of the robbery, she saw two men entering the bank while another stood at the entrance. She said the two men then entered the manager's office. "They were carrying a gun and a bag.
They then instructed the manager to tell cashiers to open their tills and give them money," she said. Rankane said the man standing at the door told her to drop the phone and pointed a gun at her.He said the two men who entered the manager's office quickly left and escaped in a white Corolla. She said shortly after the three men left, she went outside the bank and noted the car's registration number (B 867 AAS).The car has been produced as an exhibit. The case continues.
Source - mmegi
