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A Bulawayo man who was contracted as an EcoCash agent has been arrested for allegedly deliberately transferring clients’ money to himself.EcoCash is a mobile payment facility run by Econet for its subscribers to complete financial transactions such as sending money, buying pre-paid airtime and paying for goods and services.
Bandile Manduma (21), was employed as an agent by Cash Brand Ambassador situated at 82 Robert Mugabe Way.
His duties included visiting EcoCash agents around Bulawayo to reconcile their work and look for new clients he would also register.
Manduna, of Number 40 Balfour Road in Bellevue, was arrested after 16 clients, who included agents of Cash Brand Ambassador and individuals reported him to the police when it was discovered that the money they had collected from clients was not reflecting.
He is being charged with fraud after converting $893 to his own use.
Manduna was not asked to plead to the offence when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Marilyn Mutshina yesterday.
He was remanded in custody to Tuesday.
The State led by Mr Dumisani Moyo would seek to prove that on dates not given, Manduna allegedly misrepresented to clients that he was registering them.
It is alleged that instead, he would transfer different amounts of cash from clients’ accounts or from other agents into his number 0777611934 without their knowledge.
The court was told that Manduna would delete the confirmation message showing that the transaction has been completed on the clients’ phones to cover up for his actions.
The State alleges that he would go and withdraw the money from other EcoCash agents and convert it to his own use. The money he allegedly defrauded ranged from $2 to about $93 per client, all adding up to $893 and nothing was recovered.
Online Reporter