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Senior Court Reporter
The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development allegedly lost over US$500 000 to two bank employees who transferred the money from the ministry’s account into their own accounts. Nicola Gweshe (28), a trainee customer service officer in Mutare, and Dionne Kwezani (27), a teller in Harare, allegedly connived with accomplices who are still at large and opened bank accounts in the names of different companies.
They allegedly transferred US$526 770 from the Mines Ministry’s account into these accounts and then shared the proceeds.
The pair appeared on Tuesday before Harare magistrate Mr Douglas Chikwekwe charged with fraud.
They were remanded to February 24 on US$200 bail each.
As part of their bail conditions, the pair was ordered to report twice a week to the police, not to interfere with investigations in addition to being barred from visiting their workplaces until the matter is finalised.
Prosecutor Miss Sharon Mashavira said Gweshe’s duties included verifying information on new account applications with Kwezani.
Gweshe allegedly facilitated the opening of a bank account in the name of ZMDC (Pvt) Ltd using fraudulent documents, while Kwezani facilitated opening another account in the name of Bryte Course Investments and several other companies, also using fraudulent documents.
On January 14 this year, one of them allegedly raised five fraudulent daily internal payment instructions purporting that the Mines Ministry had authorised the transfer of US$366 385,40 into the bank accounts for fictitious companies.
A total of US$104 200 was transferred into the ZMDC bank account and US$146 293 was transferred into Chikuti Gold Mine’s account. Another US$107 300 was transferred into Bryte Course’s account.
They also allegedly transferred other funds into different fraudulent accounts.
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