Bulawayo – The audacious daylight robbery of US$4.42 million from an Ecobank branch in Bulawayo has left Zimbabwean police grappling with what could be the country’s largest cash heist in history.
Armed with AK-47s, the robbers overpowered the security guards, seizing their weapons – a shotgun with two rounds, a pistol (make and type unknown) with ten rounds, and a Canik 9mm pistol with five rounds – before making off with the substantial sum of money.
Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, Bulawayo’s acting police spokesperson, described the attack: “Three of the Cash-in-Transit details were armed… The accused persons approached the Cash in Transit team, assaulted the details with the butt of AK-47 rifles they were carrying, and disarmed the security team.
Remarkably, the entire heist unfolded in just 149 seconds.
Adding to the intrigue, one robber reportedly acted inconspicuously, blending in with the public before assisting with loading the cash boxes. A Bulawayo street vendor even recounted selling the robber bubblegum for a single rand moments before the robbery, noting the robber remained silent throughout the transaction.
The getaway vehicle’s number plate, initially believed to belong to a Ford Ranger, has since been identified as belonging to a Mazda Demio, suggesting the plate may have been stolen elsewhere, widening the scope of the police investigation.
Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi confirmed this development: “I can’t confirm that a team from Harare has been sent to assist with investigations, but I can say that we have widened our investigations and are no longer just looking for the suspects in Bulawayo. We are exploring all avenues where the suspects could have escaped to and are hiding.”
Extensive interviews with Ecobank staff and the Safeguard security team were conducted late into the night following the robbery, in an attempt to piece together the events.
The robbery has sparked intense speculation, particularly regarding potential inside involvement. Police initially suggested the heist pointed towards an inside job, a suspicion fuelled by a statement from Safeguard Security seemingly blaming Ecobank for insufficient communication regarding the substantial cash transfer.
He emphasised the risk associated with moving US$4.42 million, describing it as “well outside any contracted limits for Safeguard and almost certainly the security industry Africa wide.”
The professionalism displayed by the robbers has also raised eyebrows. A former police officer commented, “When I first saw the video, I thought it was a mock-drill until I read in the press that the robbery actually happened. Studying the videos shows that these were not your ordinary armed robbers; the composure they showed in stealing the money indicates otherwise.”
This observation, coupled with a history of security force members’ involvement in armed robberies, has led to speculation about potential links to serving or former soldiers. Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe previously admitted in the Senate the involvement of former police officers and soldiers in numerous armed robbery cases.
In March 2022, three soldiers were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for armed robbery by a Zimbabwe Defence Forces court martial. Security experts believe the recovered AK-47s could provide crucial clues to the robbers’ identities and backgrounds.
The robbers’ swift disappearance remains a significant mystery. A security expert noted, “How the robbers have disappeared without trace raises a lot of questions. Unfortunately, we may never know the full story if the robbers are shot dead as we have seen before. It will remain one of the mystery stories for years to come.”
This comment alludes to the controversial government policy, previously confirmed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba, authorising police to shoot and kill suspected armed robbers. Police Commissioner Godwin Matanga has also publicly affirmed this policy. Numerous instances of suspected robbers being shot by police, especially during crime scene reconstructions (“indications”), have fuelled concerns about accountability and due process.
Despite the lack of arrests, police spokesperson Paul Nyathi assures the public that investigations are ongoing.
“We are still conducting investigations. We have not effected arrests as yet but I can assure the public that the police are conducting comprehensive investigations with a view of accounting for the suspects and also establishing what actually transpired regarding the robbery, especially if you look at the manner in which this armed robbery case occurred,” Comm Nyathi said.
He deferred providing up-to-date statistics on armed robberies, promising to provide them later. The ongoing investigation, extending beyond Bulawayo, reflects the seriousness of the crime and the determination to apprehend those responsible.
The recent firearm amnesty, which concluded on September 30th, resulting in the surrender of 538 guns and 260 rounds of ammunition, provides a backdrop to the readily available illegal firearms, although the sophistication of this robbery suggests a more organised operation.
Meanwhile, speculation continues, with notorious armed robber Elijah Vumbunu, believed to be operating from South Africa, mentioned as a potential suspect. The US$4.42 million heist remains a major ongoing investigation, highlighting significant security challenges faced by Zimbabwean financial institutions.
