A Good Samaritan on Saturday retrieved over US$100 000 and
three pistols which he handed over to a security company whose cash-in-transit
vehicle had been involved in a fatal accident near Lupane.
Three Safeguard officials were transporting the money from
Victoria Falls to Bulawayo when the driver lost control of the vehicle and
crashed into a tree while trying to avoid hitting cattle. One of the guards died on the spot while two
others were seriously injured.
One of the injured was rushed to St Luke’s Hospital in
Lupane while the other was ferried to the United Bulawayo Hospitals for
treatment.
A security source said over US$100 000 was being
transported to Bulawayo when the accident occurred.
The money could have easily fallen into wrong hands, but Mr
Mlondolozi Mpofu, who witnessed the accident while driving to work in Hwange,
stopped and retrieved the cash and weapons.
Mr Mpofu first helped those who were trapped in the
security company’s vehicle.
“I was on my way to
Hwange after the Lupane 80 sign post when l witnessed the accident. The driver
was trying to avoid cattle and he lost control. He swerved left and right. I
went there to save lives because l could see that the other security officer
was trapped in the car while the other one was thrown out of the vehicle,” he
said.
Mr Mpofu said after retrieving the trapped security
officer, he realised that there was a cash box and thought of keeping it safe
together with three pistols that were scattered in the bush.
“I saw a cash box
and thought it wise to keep it safe because l knew that people would come and
target it as it is known that such vehicles carry large sums of money,” he
said.
Mr Mpofu said he alerted the police and surrendered the
firearms but withheld the cash as he wanted to hand it over to safeguard
officials to avoid the money changing many hands.
He said when he called the company to alert officials about
the accident, he was surprised that he was first asked if the money was safe
not the fate of the people who were involved in the accident.
Mr Mpofu said some people who later attended the scene came
searching for the money as they knew that the vehicle might have been carrying
a lot of money.
“However, l had already secured the money and l made sure
that it was safe. That’s why l made sure that l handed it to the hands of
Safeguard officers,” he said.
Mr Mpofu said although he had chances to get away with the
money since he was the first to arrive on the scene, he valued saving life and
being honest.
“The most important thing was to save other people’s lives
before thinking of money. Secondly, I was groomed in a family set-up where
honesty is our core value. I gain nothing by stealing other people’s money.
Whatever I did was out of humanity and I regret none of my
actions. I thank God that the two guys survived. However, I am sorry that we
couldn’t save the one who died on the spot,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Safeguard Bulawayo branch could not
comment about the accident referring this publication to their Cash in Transit
(CIT) Department.
“I heard of the accident but I am not in a position to comment
on that or give any detail because I am not authorised. However, try calling
the CIT department tomorrow, they can give you finer details. Today they are
out of office,” said one of the officials.
Police spokesperson for Matabeleland North Chief Inspector
Siphiwe Makonese could not be reached for comment. Chronicle
0 comments:
Post a Comment