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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
FORMER Croco Motors accounting executive Joe Leeroy (38), who is accused of siphoning US$119 0000 from his employer that was meant for the importation of two vehicles for a client, has been arraigned before the courts.
Leeroy appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Sandra Mupindu charged with fraud and was granted US$200 bail.
The complainant is Bureau Veritas represented by Mr Tendai Jeremiah Malunga.
The State alleges that sometime in July this year, Mr Malunga wanted to purchase 2 Ford Transit buses specifically from Croco Motors Pvt Ltd.
As such Mr Malunga inquired from Croco Motors Pvt Ltd and was assisted by Leeroy and they went on to exchange email addresses for further communications and clarifications.
On 18 July, Leeroy sent a quotation to Mr Malunga via email for the said vehicles worth US$119 954.
He further sent Mr Malunga Steward Bank account details to make the payment.
However, before he could even transfer the money, Leeroy sent another email to Mr Malunga on 22 July redirecting him to transfer the money to an offshore account in Romania in the name of Croco Motors.
The State further alleged that Mr Malunga questioned the sudden change of bank account number but Leeroy insisted that everything was above board, saying that it was much easier to transfer money into the offshore account and that the account belonged to Croco Motors.
On 24 July, Mr Malunga reportedly made the payment from his company’s Standard Bank South Africa account number into the offshore account.
After payment, he engaged Leeroy who kept on assuring him that all was well.
Eventually, Mr Malunga went to Croco Motors himself whereupon he handed over the proof of payment to the General Manager of Finance Mr Taruva Taruva and requested to collect the vehicles.
When Mr Taruva looked at the proof of payment, he immediately advised him that they do not hold any accounts in Romania let alone offshore accounts.
Verifications were made through the Croco Motors IT department and it was established that it was indeed Leeroy who sent Mr Malunga the offshore account details purporting as if they belonged to Croco Motors.
Leeroy’s contract was terminated on August 9. Bureau Veritas lost US$119 954 and nothing was recovered.
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