adminEmily Mbewe Court reporter
A DESK information officer at FBC Bank in Bulawayo allegedly connived with a worker at Rainbow Hotel to steal $41,846 from the hotelier. Oscar Zindi, 30, allegedly overstepped the bounds of his duties and stamped fake deposit slips to assist Fundie Mageza to lie to his employer that he had deposited money at the bank.
Mageza is on the run and police have launched a manhunt for him.
Zindi yesterday pleaded not guilty to fraud when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marylin Mutshina. Mutshina denied Zindi bail and remanded him in custody to April 29.
Prosecuting, Charles Danda told the court that sometime in February 2014 Zindi connived with Mageza who is at large and hatched a plan to defraud Rainbow Hotel.
The court heard that during the same month Mageza and Zindi defrauded the hotel of $12,104.
Danda told the court that in March the same year, the company lost $24,163 when Mageza went to FBC Bank and Zindi stamped fake deposit slips.
“The following month the hotel lost $5,579 as the duo used the same tactic,” said Danda.
The court heard that the matter came to light when auditors from Harare went to the bank and asked for bank statements.
“The FBC bank confirmed the stamp that was used by Zindi was theirs and that he had no authority to collect cash from clients,” said Danda.
Mageza who was employed as a cash book clerk at Rainbow Hotel is said to have produced fake bank deposit slips after being tasked to deposit the money.
Mageza allegedly collected sales from the hotel from August 2014 to December 17, 2014.
He allegedly converted cash amounting to $85,910 to his own use.
Mageza, the court heard, collected sales from Rainbow for banking at FBC bank on 26 different transactions.
“The accused raised fake deposit slips which he would then fraudulently stamp using FBC Bank stamp on different transactions,” said Danda.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo said police were keen to locate and interview Mageza, whose national registration number is 08-875563A73.
Inspector Moyo appealed to members of the public who have information which might lead to Mageza’s arrest to contact the Bulawayo Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Fraud squad on 09-78444, or Detective Sergeant Moyo on 0772 610 607.
He said NetOne users can contact the police on their toll free number 110 or visit their nearest police station.
Online Reporter