US$4m bank heist suspect freed after 10 months

One of the suspects accused of taking part in the US$4 million-plus Ecobank Bulawayo heist has been released from remand after spending 10 months in custody without a trial date being set.

Bhekani Mlilo, who was extradited from Botswana last year, was removed from remand last Friday after Bulawayo regional magistrate Lungile Ncube dismissed a State application seeking his further remand.

Mlilo appeared before the court facing a charge of armed robbery.

The State, represented by prosecutor Rumbi Gwishiri, had applied for Mlilo to be further remanded to September 28. However, the magistrate rejected the application, citing the prolonged period the accused had spent in custody without a trial date.

"Accused has been in remand prison for 10 months with no trial date being allocated. The accused cannot continue being on remand for the failed extradition of the other suspects," Ncube ruled.

He ordered that further remand be refused and said the State would proceed by way of summons once the other suspects had been extradited.

Mlilo was represented by Tawanda Tavengwa of Mvundla Tavengwa Solicitors.

The court heard that on October 3 last year at around 3.30pm, Mlilo allegedly acted together with several accomplices, including the Vumbunu brothers, Elijah Temayi and Abraham, as well as Simon Xola Ngcobo, Menzeli Mpofu, Khalid Ntimen and others who remain at large.

The group is accused of robbing Ecobank branches in Bulawayo.

According to the State, the alleged gang used a white Ford Ranger with South African registration plates, which was reportedly registered in the name of Nomsa Aneline Zingela.

The suspects allegedly replaced the South African number plates with Zimbabwean plates before driving to Ecobank at the corner of 9th Avenue and Fife Street.

Gwishiri told the court that the suspects were armed when they arrived and allegedly intercepted a Safeguard cash-in-transit vehicle.

"They apprehended the guards and held them hostage, threatening to shoot them if they resisted," she said.

The suspects allegedly took four metal cash boxes and three firearms belonging to Safeguard security guards.

Three of the cash boxes were reportedly from the Ecobank branch at 9th Avenue and Fife Street and contained approximately US$3,983,500.

An additional cash box allegedly taken from Ecobank's Bradfield branch contained US$465,500.

The suspects allegedly loaded the cash boxes into their getaway vehicle and fled.

The alleged robbery therefore involved more than US$4.4 million stolen from the two Ecobank branches.

Gwishiri told the court that the Vumbunu brothers had since been arrested in South Africa and were awaiting extradition to Zimbabwe.

Mlilo is also facing a separate case in which he is accused of masterminding a break-in at a Nedbank branch in Bulawayo.

In that case, nearly US$300,000, more than R2.4 million and five gold coins were allegedly stolen.

The Nedbank trial has already commenced, with two State witnesses having testified.

However, proceedings have since stalled after a key State witness was reportedly not served with a subpoena to attend court and give evidence.

With Mlilo now off remand in the Ecobank matter, the State is expected to proceed by way of summons once the remaining accused persons have been extradited.

The allegations against Mlilo and his alleged accomplices have not been tested in court, and they remain innocent until proven guilty.