Police in Zimbabwe rope in Interpol after after US$4 million bank robbery

Police in Zimbabwe have roped in Interpol to assist in tracing a group of six armed robbers involved in a daring bank heist in the City of Bulawayo last week.

IOL reported last week that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed that investigations are in full swing following the armed robbery incident where an amount of US$4 million (around R70 million) was stolen.

In a statement seen by IOL, spokesperson for the ZRP, Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the incident happened in the afternoon on Thursday last week.

In the latest developments, State media in Zimbabwe reported that the robbers are believed to be Zimbabweans now residing in South Africa.

The suspects in the bank heist are identified as Elijah Vumbunu alias Mupositori, David Sawadye, Israel Zulu, Kudakwashe Mudzingwa alias Umbro, Takafa Vumbunu alias Naison Mahembe, Paul Chinake and Brian Murape.

State-owned The Herald reported that crack teams have been deployed to Bulawayo and surrounding towns as investigations intensify into what has been described as the largest bank heist in Zimbabwe’s history.

The armed gang is suspected to be linked to a series of high-profile robberies across Zimbabwe, including a dramatic cash-in-transit heist involving nearly 12 kg of gold worth US$675,000.

The gold was reportedly being transported from a mine to Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Fidelity Printers and Refiners in October 2022.

Police in Zimbabwe have previously said the circumstances around the Bulawayo robbery were suspicious.

“Initial indications are that US$4,000,000 cash has been stolen. The manner in which this incident occurred shows an element of an inside job or leakage of information,” said Nyathi.

IOL NEWS