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Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
A commodity broker has appeared in court for allegedly hacking a local company’s bank account and stealing US$102 000 which he transferred to other account holders.
Tapiwa Zawanda(45) yesterday appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa charged with fraud and money laundering. He was remanded in custody pending his bail application.
The complainant in the matter is Northern Explosives Company, which supplies explosives material and electrical goods. It is being represented by its director Mr Newton King.
Prosecuting, Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti alleged that between 6 June and 8 June this year, Zawanda acting in connivance with his accomplice “Cliff”, who is still at large, decided to hack Northern Explosives nostro bank account.
On June 6 and without obtaining prior authority to access the data computer program or computer system of Northern company corporate mandate as initiators and authorisers, Zawanda initiated a set of bank transfers totalling US$ 102 024 to other bank accounts, some of which are yet to be identified but one of his which was his own First Capital Bank account, to which he sent US$50 000.
The court heard that then Zawanda transferred a total of US$40 000 from his First Capital account to Strauss Logistics nostro Ecobank account, at the instance of Lisa Maria Mutuke.
Zawanda then collected the equivalent amount in cash from Mutuke, and thereafter shared they proceeds amongst themselves, including funds transferred to other bank accounts.
Consequently, the company lost US$102 024 and only US$40 000 was recovered.
Online Reporter