Rutendo Mazhindu
Zim Now Reporter
The wheels of justice are turning slowly but surely as Zimbabwean police and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) continue to navigate the intricate legal processes required for the extradition of the notorious Vumbunu brothers. Abraham and Elijah Temayi, recently apprehended in South Africa, are wanted in connection with the audacious US$4 billion Ecobank heist in Bulawayo last year, a robbery considered one of Zimbabwe's largest bank heists in history.
The brothers remain in custody in South Africa following their capture on July 5, 2025, as law enforcement agencies intensified their manhunt for other suspects still at large. National Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that the extradition process is actively underway. "In terms of their extradition processes, it is still work in progress. There are legal processes that should be followed and these are still being followed," he stated, highlighting the complex international legal framework involved in such cases.
The staggering US$4 million robbery at Ecobank in Bulawayo occurred on October 3, 2024, sending shockwaves across the nation and prompting Interpol to lend its assistance in tracking down the six suspects, including the Vumbunu brothers.
Elijah Temayi, alleged to be the ringleader of the operation, maintained a façade of an ordinary life, operating a trucking business and residing in affluent neighborhoods. Sources indicate that he owned multiple properties and had recently liquidated some assets to acquire a sprawling farm named Orange Farm in South Africa. It was at this remote location that he was finally captured after an extensive and relentless manhunt.
The Zimbabwean NPA had initiated the process by making a request for provisional custody to their South African counterparts, a crucial step that facilitated the arrest of the suspects. Investigations suggest that the brothers had systematically disposed of some of their properties to invest in farms and isolated real estate, likely as a means to evade detection and secure their ill-gotten gains.
Currently, the NPA is collaborating closely with South African authorities to identify and trace properties and high-end vehicles believed to have been acquired by the suspects after the robbery. The brothers are also known to own a significant fleet of haulage trucks that operate across the Southern African region, indicating a broader network of assets.
The Bulawayo heist gained notoriety not only for its sheer scale but also for the modus operandi of the alleged perpetrators. Reports suggest that the Vumbunu brothers, while largely residing in South Africa, would only cross the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe when planning and executing major heists.
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