Four men who were acquitted in the ZB Bank US$2.7 million cash heist case were arraigned before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on Friday facing money laundering charges, reported NewsDay.
The four suspects namely Tozivepi Chirara, Tatenda Gadzikwa, Dennis Madondo and Trymore Chapfika were acquitted by the court recently but the other three accused were convicted.
On 05 January 2021, cash amounting to US$2 775 000 was stolen from a ZB bank crew which was transporting the cash from Harare to Chinhoyi.
Prosecutors alleged that during the period extending from 05 to 11 January 2021, following the ZB Bank heist, Chirara acquired a Subaru Forester vehicle and upon his arrest on January 11, he had in his possession cash amounting to US$77 800.
Chirara allegedly failed to give a satisfactory explanation as to where he acquired the cash.
The court heard that Chirara was not formally employed and had no other business to justify the huge amount of money found in his possession.
Chapfika who stays in Mbare was allegedly found with US$39 000 and he was not gainfully employed, while Madondo had US$71 500 in his possession.
According to the State, when Gadzikwa was arrested, he had US$81 800 in his possession.
The four men will be back in court on Monday.
Shadreck Njowa, Tendai Zuze and Neverson Mwamuka were found guilty of having stolen the US$2.7 million cash from ZB Bank and are now serving an effective eight-year jail term each.
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