News / Regional
Zim bank employees fake cash heist
13 Jan 2012 at 04:22hrs | Views
THE alleged armed robbery that occurred at ZB Bank in Colleen Bawn has taken a new twist on the first appearance of suspects in court with revelations that two bank employees might have faked the heist after stealing money from the bank.
The financial institution in Matabeleland South lost a total of $210 000 and R300 000 and only about $7 464 and R99 370 was recovered.
The bank manager for Gwanda and Colleen Bawn branches, Cleopas Vodzi (36) and Ruzibo Nyoni (42) who was employed as supervisor for the Colleen Bawn branch, appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Godwin Sengweni facing a theft charge.
After investigations and arrest of the duo, the alleged armed robbery case was changed into theft as it emerged they faked it after allegedly stealing the money in connivance with other suspects who are still at large.
The duo now faces another charge of deliberately supplying false information to a public officer claiming the bank had been robbed.
ZB Bank district manager for Bulawayo Mr Themba Ndlovu is representing the bank.
Mr Liberty Mcijo of Lazarus and Sarif Legal Practitioners is representing Vodzi and Nyoni.
Mr Mcijo applied for bail and submitted that his clients were suitable candidates who would not flee since the charge they were facing was not serious.
He submitted that Vodzi, of 788 Jacaranda suburb, Gwanda, and Nyoni, of 18 Section Four, Colleen Bawn, had complaints against the police in the sense that they were over-detained in police custody from Sunday until yesterday when they appeared in court.
Mr Mcijo claimed police also severely assaulted his clients. Nyoni was allegedly bitten by dogs set on him by the police and he sustained injuries.
The defence counsel said the accused had no previous criminal records and had lived a crime-free adult life hence the State should not fear they would abscond or commit other offences.
Mr Mcijo said his clients co-operated with police on their arrest and during investigations and were confident they would be acquitted because the armed robbery indeed occurred.
He said the duo was prepared to be admitted to strict bail conditions and proposed they would pay a bail deposit of $100 each.
However, the State, led by Mr Goodluck Katenaire, indicated he would tentatively oppose bail application on the grounds there was need to investigate claims of assault by police especially when the defence counsel claimed the duo was co-operating.
The State would respond to the application on Monday after getting evidence from the investigating officer.
Allegations against Vodzi and Nyoni are that between August 2010 and 7 January 2012, they hatched a plan to steal from the bank.
They were allegedly unlawfully taking money from the bank and loaning it to different people, one of them Mr Trynos Nkomo, a mine director in West Nicholson.
They were allegedly charging 10 percent interest, which they would share upon repayment of the money.
At some point the two accused discovered they were even stabbing each other's back as each of them would go behind the other and claim the money without the knowledge of the other.
Sometime last month, Nyoni allegedly approached Mr Nkomo demanding that he pays back the money he had borrowed but he indicated he had paid it to Vodzi.
The court heard that upon realising that their theft would be uncovered, they allegedly hatched a plan to stage-manage an armed robbery so that it would appear as if all the money they stole had been taken by armed robbers.
The duo then hired one Ranganai Boydo Matimba, alias Mdubeki Siziba, who is still at large to masquerade as an armed robber.
On 7 January at about 1pm, the court was told that Nyoni, in preparation for the alleged planned armed robbery, switched off the closed circuit television at the bank and stole a Taurus Special Revolver, which he took to his place of residence.
He also allegedly stole R300 000 cash and gave it to Vodzi for safekeeping.
At about 8pm on the same day, Matimba proceeded to Nyoni's place of residence to collect the firearm to use in the "armed robbery."
Nyoni then allegedly phoned one Mr Neviel Ndlovu, a bank teller who kept keys to the money safe asking for the keys claiming he had forgotten something at work.
Ndlovu was not suspicious of anything and went to meet Nyoni at the bank but before he could give him the keys, Matimba pounced and pointed a gun at them and force-marched them into the bank.
While inside, Matimba pretended to be stealing money and later drove off and dumped the two about 17km towards Gwanda and fled.
Nyoni and Mr Ndlovu went to make a report of armed robbery while Vodzi also phoned the police making a similar report knowing that they were allegedly lying.
When they were interrogated, Nyoni revealed he stole the money in connivance with Vodzi and faked an armed robbery.
The firearm valued at $1 000 was recovered from Vodzi after he led police to Mtshabezi River where he had dumped it in water.
About R99 370 and $7 463 was recovered from Nyoni's home.
The financial institution in Matabeleland South lost a total of $210 000 and R300 000 and only about $7 464 and R99 370 was recovered.
The bank manager for Gwanda and Colleen Bawn branches, Cleopas Vodzi (36) and Ruzibo Nyoni (42) who was employed as supervisor for the Colleen Bawn branch, appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Godwin Sengweni facing a theft charge.
After investigations and arrest of the duo, the alleged armed robbery case was changed into theft as it emerged they faked it after allegedly stealing the money in connivance with other suspects who are still at large.
The duo now faces another charge of deliberately supplying false information to a public officer claiming the bank had been robbed.
ZB Bank district manager for Bulawayo Mr Themba Ndlovu is representing the bank.
Mr Liberty Mcijo of Lazarus and Sarif Legal Practitioners is representing Vodzi and Nyoni.
Mr Mcijo applied for bail and submitted that his clients were suitable candidates who would not flee since the charge they were facing was not serious.
He submitted that Vodzi, of 788 Jacaranda suburb, Gwanda, and Nyoni, of 18 Section Four, Colleen Bawn, had complaints against the police in the sense that they were over-detained in police custody from Sunday until yesterday when they appeared in court.
Mr Mcijo claimed police also severely assaulted his clients. Nyoni was allegedly bitten by dogs set on him by the police and he sustained injuries.
The defence counsel said the accused had no previous criminal records and had lived a crime-free adult life hence the State should not fear they would abscond or commit other offences.
Mr Mcijo said his clients co-operated with police on their arrest and during investigations and were confident they would be acquitted because the armed robbery indeed occurred.
He said the duo was prepared to be admitted to strict bail conditions and proposed they would pay a bail deposit of $100 each.
However, the State, led by Mr Goodluck Katenaire, indicated he would tentatively oppose bail application on the grounds there was need to investigate claims of assault by police especially when the defence counsel claimed the duo was co-operating.
The State would respond to the application on Monday after getting evidence from the investigating officer.
They were allegedly unlawfully taking money from the bank and loaning it to different people, one of them Mr Trynos Nkomo, a mine director in West Nicholson.
They were allegedly charging 10 percent interest, which they would share upon repayment of the money.
At some point the two accused discovered they were even stabbing each other's back as each of them would go behind the other and claim the money without the knowledge of the other.
Sometime last month, Nyoni allegedly approached Mr Nkomo demanding that he pays back the money he had borrowed but he indicated he had paid it to Vodzi.
The court heard that upon realising that their theft would be uncovered, they allegedly hatched a plan to stage-manage an armed robbery so that it would appear as if all the money they stole had been taken by armed robbers.
The duo then hired one Ranganai Boydo Matimba, alias Mdubeki Siziba, who is still at large to masquerade as an armed robber.
On 7 January at about 1pm, the court was told that Nyoni, in preparation for the alleged planned armed robbery, switched off the closed circuit television at the bank and stole a Taurus Special Revolver, which he took to his place of residence.
He also allegedly stole R300 000 cash and gave it to Vodzi for safekeeping.
At about 8pm on the same day, Matimba proceeded to Nyoni's place of residence to collect the firearm to use in the "armed robbery."
Nyoni then allegedly phoned one Mr Neviel Ndlovu, a bank teller who kept keys to the money safe asking for the keys claiming he had forgotten something at work.
Ndlovu was not suspicious of anything and went to meet Nyoni at the bank but before he could give him the keys, Matimba pounced and pointed a gun at them and force-marched them into the bank.
While inside, Matimba pretended to be stealing money and later drove off and dumped the two about 17km towards Gwanda and fled.
Nyoni and Mr Ndlovu went to make a report of armed robbery while Vodzi also phoned the police making a similar report knowing that they were allegedly lying.
When they were interrogated, Nyoni revealed he stole the money in connivance with Vodzi and faked an armed robbery.
The firearm valued at $1 000 was recovered from Vodzi after he led police to Mtshabezi River where he had dumped it in water.
About R99 370 and $7 463 was recovered from Nyoni's home.
Source - TC
