Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
FINANCIAL services firm, Evolution Group, lost over US$112 000 to a cashier who allegedly transferred the money to various companies and later collected cash or goods without the company’s permission.
Rocky-Thomas Nkosikhona Mkhethiwa was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa yesterday charged with fraud.
The firm is being represented by its Group Managing Director January Norman.
The court heard that Mkhethiwa was employed by Evolution Group as the company cashier or payments officer who was responsible for making payments on behalf of the company.
He also had access to the company’s corporate accounts.
The State claims Mkhethiwa came up with a plan to defraud the company between December last year and January 15 this year,
Mkhethiwa made transfers totalling US$112 000 to various companies.
He claimed they were genuine company transfers which were authorised by the management yet no authorisation had been granted.
After making the transfers, Mkhethiwa would make a follow up at the companies, where he had sent the money, and collected either cash or goods.
The offence was discovered when Norman made a random check at one of the companies which received the money and found out that the transactions were by Mkhethiwa and he was the beneficiary of the transactions.
Nothing was recovered.
Mkhethiwa was released on US$500 bail and was ordered not to interfere with witnesses, to surrender his travel documents, to reside at his given address and to report once a week on Fridays at CID Commercial Crimes Division until the matter is finalised.
Mkhethiwa also appeared on another fraud charge involving US$42 000.
The complainant in that case is Stayned Investments (Pvt) Ltd, which is being represented by Cornilus Chitagu.
The court heard that on December 30 last year, Mkhethiwa contacted Chitagu and misrepresented that he had a nostro transfer in his company account and he needed hard cash.
He went to Chitagu’s office where he was given US$42 000.
Since Stayned Investments is into the business of liquor sale, Chitagu then gave Mkhethiwa a Delta Beverage CBZ bank account for him to transfer the funds into.
Chitagu would then collect his stock at Delta Beverages once the payment was made.
Mkhethiwa allegedly then sent a fake proof of payment purporting to have transferred a part payment of US$8 000 into Delta Beverages’ CBZ Bank account.
Chitagu then proceeded to Delta Beverages with the proof of payment, intending to collect his stock, only to be told that no payment was made.
Nothing was recovered.
Lancelot Mutsokoti appeared for the State.
