Cops say they are determined to get to the bottom of the US$4 million armed robbery at an Ecobank branch in Bulawayo last Thursday.
No arrests have been made yet but the network is closing in. The Zimbabwe Republic Police have since deployed teams to Bulawayo to assist with investigations, and the EcoBank branch has been temporarily closed.
National police spokesman, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, told the Herald yesterday that police suspect the theft involved insiders.
“We stand by our position. Someone has leaked information about the movement of money, and we are interrogating all possible suspects. Investigations are ongoing and we have sent teams to Bulawayo, and we want to assure the nation that we will get to the bottom of the matter, and will leave no stone unturned.
“I would also like to reject the false reports circulating on social media about this issue. We will advise the nation on this issue whenever necessary.”
In a statement, Safeguard CEO Andrew Malone claimed the security company was not informed it was transferring such a large sum.
“You may have seen reports of a serious cash theft in Bulawayo outside Ecobank yesterday. It clearly highlights the very serious risks associated with holding and moving cash, the risks of which we publish frequently.
“We would like to remind all customers of their responsibility to work within the contracted limits regarding the movement of cash, and to communicate clearly with us in the event that cash movement deviates from the norm. This allows us to plan and deal with risks appropriately.”
“This US$4 million move clearly poses a significant risk and goes far beyond any contractual limits for Safeguard (and almost certainly the security industry across Africa),” he said.
