CBZ manager in $370 000 fraud

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A CBZ manager allegedly forged Jocelyn Chiwenga’s signature and siphoned more than $300 000 from her account held at the bank and transferred it to several bank accounts and later withdrew the money.However, in this case the complainant is now the bank represented by its loss control manager Lloyd Gonyora after it had to reimburse their client.

Roland Murapa (35) is employed by CBZ Limited as a portfolio manager in the credit monitoring and control department.

His duties among others include ensuring that loan facilities are properly granted following laid down procedures and that customers pay back the loans as agreed.

Murapa yesterday appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe, charged with three counts of fraud.

He was remanded to May 19 on $500 bail.

He is being represented by Mr Musindo Hungwe.

Prosecutor Miss Sharon Mashavira, alleged that from a period extending February 27 2013 to November last year and on various occasions Murapa forged Chiwenga’s signature and withdrew a total amount of $310 100 from her account.

On the second account, it is alleged that on July 30 last year, Murapa manufactured two fake RTGS for an account belonging to Chiwenga and transferred $10 500 into a Barclays Bank account belonging to one M. Mayor and $47 069 to an NMB Bank account belonging to Sewetex Pvt Ltd.

It is the State’s case that he facilitated the above transfers by forging Chiwenga’s signature.

On December 19 the same year, with an intent to cover up the offence and balance the above transfer, which he had made on Chiwenga’s account, Murapa manufactured two fake RTGS for CBZ account belonging to one Dr Masango and unlawfully transferred $47 069 and $10 500 into Chiwenga’s account.

As result the bank had to reimburse $57 569 to Dr Masango’s account.

The court further heard that on March 23 this year, Murapa unlawfully authorised a loan of $7 000 on an account belonging to Kudakwashe Mutandi, which was also an overdrawn account.

Thereafter he completed a withdrawal slip for the account and forged the signature of Mutandi and one Mr Chandavengerwa, his supervisor.

The offence was discovered by his supervisor when he was about to withdraw the money from Mutandi’s account.

Through Murapa’s actions, the bank suffered actual prejudice of $374 669 and potential prejudice of $7 000.