Durban - A Zimbabwean businessman, alleged to be living in the country illegally and charged with orchestrating the biggest cash-in-transit heist in KwaZulu-Natal, will spend Christmas and the New Year in prison after being refused bail.
Pietermaritzburg magistrate M Boikhutso last week denied 38-year-old Herman Thuthani Ndlovu bail on the basis that he had not shown exceptional circumstances justifying his release.
Ndlovu is charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances. He is alleged to have been involved in the R16.3 million cash-in-transit heist at the Oribi Airport on May 28 this year.
According to an affidavit submitted to court opposing Ndlovu’s release on bail by investigating officer Nelson Naicker, at around 8am on May 28, a Brinks SA armoured vehicle picked up three bags of foreign currency from the airport.
The vehicle was on its way to Durban to deliver the foreign currency to various banks at the time of the robbery.
A gang of about nine assailants used a Toyota Fortuner to ram into the armoured vehicle as it was travelling along Oribi Road next to the airport, causing it to come to a stop.
Both vehicles were badly damaged.
The robbers, all armed with AK-47s and other high-calibre firearms, approached the Brinks SA vehicle. Two men used a pick and hammer to break open the armoured glass of the right rear door.
The robbers then poured petrol on the vehicle, threatening to set it alight if the three security guards inside failed to open the doors.
The guards opened the doors and were subsequently forced out of the vehicle and made to lie face down on the road. The driver of the vehicle was assaulted and doused with petrol.
The three bags of foreign currency, the security guards’ firearms and cellphones were stolen and the robbers sped off in awaiting getaway cars, a red VW Golf and a white Ford Focus ST.
The cars were found abandoned at the Bisley Game Reserve about 4km from the crime scene.
Naicker said it was later established that the foreign currency stolen totalled R16.3m.
“The robbery had a serious impact on the economy of the country,” he said.
Naicker confirmed that the evidence against Ndlovu at this stage was very strong. This included an accomplice who had turned state witness and who had implicated Ndlovu in the robbery.
Cellphone evidence, as well as a vehicle tracker system on Ndlovu’s car, places him at the scene of the crime.
Ndlovu lives and works in Johannesburg.
“This was a well-planned and well-executed robbery by a syndicate whose members, according to investigations, come mainly from Gauteng,” Naicker said.
He said Ndlovu may also be charged with two further counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances involving the hijacking of the VW Golf and Ford Focus.
A Home Affairs official also testified against Ndlovu being granted bail, and confirmed Ndlovu was in possession of a fraudulent identity document and was in the country illegally.
The official said upon finalisation of the case, Ndlovu would be deported to Zimbabwe and declared undesirable and prohibited from re-entering the country.
Ndlovu claimed he was granted permanent residence in South Africa and that he had valid documentation.
He is a widower and has five children who he supports through his two Johannesburg based businesses, a transport business and a hair salon.
Ndlovu earns in excess of R50 000 a month.
He also has a pending case of fraud and is out on R5 000 bail in that case.
The robbery case was postponed to January 28 next year.
Daily News
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