News / National
US$2,5m bank heist: 2 jailed
02 Feb 2022 at 05:23hrs | Views
THE wife of one of the robbers involved in the theft of US$2,5 million cash-in-transit for ZB Bank early last year has been jailed for an effective three years for acquiring properties with the ill-gotten money and being found in possession of US$52 500 which was part of the loot.
Her uncle-in-law who was an accomplice received an effective four-year term for his involvement.
Revai Muza (34), wife of Andrew Zigara, who is now under arrest, was initially jailed for five years when she appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Esthere Chivasa charged with money laundering.
Mrs Chivasa suspended two years of the sentence for five years.
Muza's uncle-in-law, Jephius Kufandada (37), who assisted her in scouting for houses to buy in Masvingo, was jailed for an effective four years over the same office, after two years of his six-year term were suspended.
The two were jointly charged and were convicted after a full trial.
The prosecutor Mr Ephraim Zinyandu showed that after the armed robbery on January 6 last year, and the sharing of the money, Zigara went to his home in Beatrice where he showed his wife the money.
Zigara left home the following day for an unknown destination where he called his uncle, Kufandada, telling him that he wanted to buy five houses in Masvingo, lying that the money came from selling ivory and gold.
Kufandada then approached an estate agent, Emily Musengi of Emtac Venture in Masvingo, and he was shown houses in Mucheke B and Rujeko C suburbs.
Both houses were selling for US$50 000 inclusive of conveyancing fees.
On January 11 last year, Kufandada called Zigara asking him whether he was still interested in the houses and was told that his wife was visiting him with the money and she brought US$50 000.
Muza and Kufandada went to meet the agent and the two houses were paid for, including all the conveyancing fees.
Zigara, his wife and Kufandada failed to agree on whose name the houses were to be registered when agreements of sale were being prepared.
They later agreed that a house in Mucheke B be registered in Kufandada's name, but could not agree on under whose name the Rujeko C house was to be registered.
Zigara later called Kufandada and advised him to watch ZBC-TV news if he wanted to know the source of the money which was used to buy the two houses.
Zigara also later confessed to Kufandada that he was involved in the January 6 ZB heist.
Following his arrest, police interviewed Muza leading to the recovery of the US$52 500.
She later implicated Kufandada, leading to his arrest.
Her uncle-in-law who was an accomplice received an effective four-year term for his involvement.
Revai Muza (34), wife of Andrew Zigara, who is now under arrest, was initially jailed for five years when she appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Esthere Chivasa charged with money laundering.
Mrs Chivasa suspended two years of the sentence for five years.
Muza's uncle-in-law, Jephius Kufandada (37), who assisted her in scouting for houses to buy in Masvingo, was jailed for an effective four years over the same office, after two years of his six-year term were suspended.
The two were jointly charged and were convicted after a full trial.
The prosecutor Mr Ephraim Zinyandu showed that after the armed robbery on January 6 last year, and the sharing of the money, Zigara went to his home in Beatrice where he showed his wife the money.
Zigara left home the following day for an unknown destination where he called his uncle, Kufandada, telling him that he wanted to buy five houses in Masvingo, lying that the money came from selling ivory and gold.
Kufandada then approached an estate agent, Emily Musengi of Emtac Venture in Masvingo, and he was shown houses in Mucheke B and Rujeko C suburbs.
On January 11 last year, Kufandada called Zigara asking him whether he was still interested in the houses and was told that his wife was visiting him with the money and she brought US$50 000.
Muza and Kufandada went to meet the agent and the two houses were paid for, including all the conveyancing fees.
Zigara, his wife and Kufandada failed to agree on whose name the houses were to be registered when agreements of sale were being prepared.
They later agreed that a house in Mucheke B be registered in Kufandada's name, but could not agree on under whose name the Rujeko C house was to be registered.
Zigara later called Kufandada and advised him to watch ZBC-TV news if he wanted to know the source of the money which was used to buy the two houses.
Zigara also later confessed to Kufandada that he was involved in the January 6 ZB heist.
Following his arrest, police interviewed Muza leading to the recovery of the US$52 500.
She later implicated Kufandada, leading to his arrest.
Source - The Herald
