A suspect in the US$4 million 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 on Friday after Bulawayo regional magistrate Lungile Ncube dismissed a State application seeking his further remand.
The State, represented by Rumbi Gwishiri, had applied for Mlilo’s remand to 28 September, but the application was declined.
Mlilo is facing a charge of armed robbery.
The State will now proceed by way of summons once the other accused persons, who are still awaiting extradition, have been brought before the courts.
“Accused has been in remand prison for 10 months with no trial date being allocated,” Ncube said.
“The accused cannot continue being on remand for the failed extradition of the other suspects. Further remand is refused.
“When other suspects have been extradited, the State will proceed by way of summons for commencement of a trial.”
Mlilo was represented by Tawanda Tavengwa of Mvundla Tavengwa Solicitors.
The court heard that on 3 October 2025, at around 3.30pm, Mlilo allegedly acted in concert with several accomplices, including the Vumbunu brothers, Elijah and Abraham, Simon Xola Ngcobo, Menzeli Mpofu, Khalid Ntimen and others still at large, to rob Ecobank’s Bulawayo branch.
Gwishiri told the court that the Vumbunu brothers have since been arrested in South Africa and are awaiting extradition to Zimbabwe.
The gang allegedly used a white Ford Ranger bearing South African registration plates and registered in the name of Nomsa Aneline Zingela.
Before the robbery, the suspects allegedly replaced the South African plates with Zimbabwean plates and drove to Ecobank at the corner of 9th Avenue and Fife Street in Bulawayo.
Gwishiri said the suspects were armed when they arrived at the bank and allegedly intercepted a Safeguard cash-in-transit vehicle.
“They apprehended the guards and held them hostage, threatening to shoot them if they resisted. The accused persons took four metal boxes containing cash,” said Gwishiri.
“Three of the boxes were from the Ecobank branch at 9th Avenue and Fife Street, containing US$3,983,500. They also took three guns from Safeguard security guards.”
An additional cash box containing US$465,500 was allegedly taken from Ecobank’s Bradfield branch.
“The accused loaded the boxes into their getaway vehicle and fled the scene,” said Gwishiri.
The alleged robbery involved more than US$4.4 million stolen from the two branches.
Mlilo is also facing a separate case in which he is accused of masterminding a break-in at a Nedbank branch in Bulawayo, where nearly US$300,000, more than R2.4 million and five gold coins were allegedly stolen.
The Nedbank trial has already started, with two State witnesses having testified, but proceedings have stalled after a key State witness was not served with a subpoena to attend court.
More: Herald
