MANZINI – Police are looking for another person of interest to assist with investigations in the theft of over E1.6 million during a midnight robbery at the Manzini Branch of EswatiniBank.
He was identified as Thembela Philiso Ferreila (36) of Timbutini. He is the second person of interest to be unveiled by the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) after another was identified as Mzwandile Shongwe, a former employee of the bank.
REPS released the picture of Ferreila in a new Facebook post yesterday, saying anyone who sees him must call the police.
The bank remains closed for customers while investigations are still ongoing.
“The Royal Eswatini Police Service is appealing to members of the public to assist in locating Thembela Philiso Ferreila 35 of Timbutini who is wanted in connection with a robbery case which was committed at EswatiniBank in Manzini City.
“REPS is appealing to anyone with information that may lead to his arrest to contact the numbers provided in the infographic,” reads the police Facebook post.
The numbers are those of Manzini Regional Crime Branch Officer Makhanya on 7606 4483 or Inspector Vilane in charge of Manzini Lukhozi on 7615 5941 or Sergeant Ayanda Dlamini on 7603 3449.
The robbery unfolded late on Sunday night and into the early hours of Monday. Police say an undisclosed number of suspects ambushed a security guard at the main gate shortly after 11pm, restraining him before gaining access to the premises.
The suspects are believed to have entered the bank through a rear section of the property, avoiding surveillance cameras.
Once inside, they reportedly disabled parts of the alarm system and forced entry into secured areas housing automated teller machines.
Investigators believe the robbers spent more than two hours inside the bank, carefully removing cash from the ATMs without triggering security mechanisms designed to destroy banknotes.
The suspects fled the scene just before 2am using the same breach in the perimeter fence. The tied-up security guard later raised the alarm, prompting a heavy police response.
Despite the bank being located about 150 metres from the Manzini Police Station, no alarm was triggered during the robbery. Police units, including Scenes of Crime officers, sealed off the area from around 3am as investigations began.
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Police are looking for another person of interest to assist with investigations in the theft of over E1.6 million during a midnight robbery at the Manzini Branch of EswatiniBank.