BULAWAYO – Police have named seven men they say were behind Zimbabwe’s biggest cash heist in history – the theft of over US$4 million as it was being transferred from a Bulawayo bank to a security van.
The seven are all known to law enforcement and are linked to a string of armed robberies countrywide.
Two of the suspects Elijah Vumbunu alias Mupositori and Takafa Vumbunu alias Naison Mahembe are from a Bulawayo crime family linked to the October 2022 attack on a How Mine security convoy which was robbed of 11.9kg of gold and US$650,000 cash.
The other suspects are David Sawadye, Israel Zulu, Kudakwashe Mudzingwa alias Umbro, Paul Chinake and Brian Murape.
National police spokesman Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they believe the men have already skipped the border and are in South Africa, where they operate from.
Zimbabwean police will be engaging the international police organisation Interpol and South African authorities to track down the suspects, Nyathi said.
“When a crime of this magnitude is committed in our country and our investigations suggest the involvement of foreign nationals or the participation of our citizens whom we believe skipped our borders, then we have a duty to involve Interpol,” Nyathi said.
“No stone will be left unturned in our quest to bring the culprits to book.”
Police believe one or more employees of Ecobank supplied information to the robbers who struck just after 3PM when the money was being transferred in three cash boxes from the bank to a waiting Safeguard security van.
The robbers armed with AK47s and wearing face masks and bucket hats pulled up in a white single cab Ford Ranger just after the last box left the Ecobank branch at the NRZ Building on Fife Street and 9th Avenue. With guns pointed, they quickly disarmed the Safeguard security guards before loading the boxes in their vehicle. The robbery lasted just two minutes before the Ford Ranger sped off.
Police said there was a US$5,000 reward for anyone with information that can result in arrests.
