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Nyore Madzianike

Senior Court Reporter

THE bail ruling for cousins, Job Njowa and Tichaona Njowa, who were arrested over the alleged “burial” and digging up of US$100 000 suspected to be part of the $2,7 million stolen from a ZB Bank cash-in-transit van, was yesterday deferred to today.

This was after magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi said the ruling was not ready as he was still going through the submissions made during the bail application.

Job is being charged with obstructing the course of justice, while Tichaona is separately facing theft charges.

Circumstances leading to the duo’s arrest are that Job, son to suspected robbery mastermind Shadreck Njowa, buried the money at the family’s rural homestead in Mudakuenda village, Mhondoro, at 9pm in a bid to conceal the evidence on January 18.

Tichaona allegedly woke up at 4am the next morning and dug up the money before travelling to Turf in Ngezi, where he lavishly spent it.

The reckless spending allegedly saw him buying a second car when the first one he had bought developed a mechanical fault.

This attracted the attention of the police who arrested him and led to the further arrest of his cousin, Job.

Job, a Midlands State University student and Tichaona, initially appeared in court on Monday.

Job allegedly disappeared from his Highfield residence in Harare with his father soon after the robbery.

On January 6, his father and other members of the ZB Bank cash-in-transit crew, were tasked to deliver money to some of the bank’s branches countrywide.

Investigators believe the robbery was staged along the Harare-Chinhoyi road after Nyabira Business Centre.

On January 18, Job and his father left Harare for their rural home in Mhondoro.

Upon their arrival, Njowa allegedly ordered Job to hide US$100 000 underground.

Job placed the money in a pot, wrapped it and buried it.

It was when he was digging that Tichaona spotted him as he was walking home along a footpath at around 9pm.

Knowing that Job’s father was wanted in connection with the heist, Tichaona then woke up around 4am and stole the money.

The court heard that another villager, Luxury Nakumwa, saw Tichaona as he was digging for the money which Job had allegedly hidden.

It was alleged that Tichaona gave Nakumwa US$5 000 to buy his silence.

Prosecuting, Mrs Stylone Marufu, said Tichaona left his homestead and went to Turf in Ngezi, where he bought a Honda Fit for US$2 900 and went on a spending spree, booking lodges around Turf and splashing the cash.

Tichaona’s lavish spending in Turf raised suspicion, especially after he bought the second car, and police took him for questioning.

He then revealed that he had stolen the money from Job and was allegedly found in possession of US$15 000 upon his arrest.