Businessman loses almost $10 000 to a bank employee

A BULAWAYO businessman, Nkosizile Chanza lost nearly $10 000 to a bank employee who gave him an invalid bank card after opening an account while the employee went on to withdraw money from his account on several occasions.

Chanza, of P8 Mzilikazi and operating a gold mine in Cement Siding, less than 20km outside Bulawayo, had gone to Kingdom Bank intending to open a bank account when Sandra Zikhali (24), whose address was not given, gave him an invalid cell card while she remained with the original one without his knowledge.

Zikhali was employed at the Kingdom Bank situated at the corner  of Jason Moyo Street and 9th Avenue  as a community banker responsible for assisting clients to open new accounts.

She would then on several occasions withdraw cash from Chanza's account and each time he inquired, she would tell him the money had been borrowed by the bank and would be returned with interest.

The bank is now investigating  the matter to establish whether there were other clients who fell for similar tricks.

Zikhali was yesterday arraigned before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Rose Dube to answer to a charge of fraud after she withdrew about $9 417 from Chanza's account.

She was not formally charged with the offence and was remanded out of custody on her own cognisance to 4 January.

The State will seek to prove that on 9 November, Chanza visited Kingdom Bank intending to open a bank account.

Zikhali, as a community banker, assisted him to open a cell card account and gave him application forms to complete.

Chanza reportedly made an initial deposit of $6 500 and Zikhali gave him an invalid card.

At about 1pm on the same day, Chanza received a text message on his phone informing him that about $950 had allegedly been withdrawn from his account.

Chanza reportedly went to inquire with the bank why it was withdrawing money from his account without his knowledge.

That is when Zikhali allegedly told him the money had been borrowed by the bank and would be paid back with interest.

Zikhali allegedly remained with the original cell card and from 11 November she started withdrawing different amounts of money from the account using the card without Chanza's knowledge.

On 16 November, the court heard, Chanza went to withdraw money from his account and that is when he was told his card was invalid.

He went to the accused knowing that she had been assisting him and she allegedly told him machines were down.

Zikhali reportedly volunteered to go to the other banking hall in the same building.

The matter only came to light when Chanza inquired why his cell card was not active and was told that it was not valid.

Chanza reported the matter to the bank's management where it was discovered Zikhali was using a client's card to withdraw money.

A report was made to the police, resulting in her arrest.

Jeremiah Mutsindikwa prosecuted.