Police foil Lupane bank robbery

Zim Now Writer

A suspected armed robber from Lupane is battling for life in hospital after being shot by police while fleeing a crime scene where he and four accomplices, who are still at large, attempted to rob a bank.

Zenzo Siziba, 44, is being closely guarded by police at St Luke’s Hospital where he is admitted, and from where he appeared before Lupane magistrate Barbara Phiri to answer to a charge of armed robbery under aggravating circumstances.

He was not asked to plead to the charge and was remanded to his hospital bed until 12 July.

The magistrate advised Siziba to approach the High Court for bail.

Siziba and his four accomplices allegedly pounced on a security guard at AFC Bank in Lupane and threatened him with a gun while ordering him to leave the scene.

The suspects then used a hammer to break open the banking hall door upon which they blasted a money safe.

The armed robbers, however, fled from the bank before taking any money after being busted by the police who opened fire and shot Siziba as he and his accomplices fled.

Prosecuting, Zandile Ndebele said Isaac Sibanda, who was on duty guarding the bank, heard the alarm system and, upon checking, saw the suspects near the door.

The suspects produced a gun and pointed it at Sibanda and ordered him to leave the scene and he ran away and later phoned the bank manager who alerted the police.

Suddenly, there was an explosion in the bank. Before the robbers could take any money, police arrived and fired three warning shots into the air.

The armed robbers fled from the bank and police shot Siziba and later arrested him.

Police recovered a satchel with two computer hard drives, three used capped fuses, one dynamite, a screwdriver, a hammer and a shifting spanner from Siziba.