Former bank employees up for $65,000 fraud

THREE former ZB Bank workers allegedly defrauded their employer of more than $60 000 after conniving to convert clients' deposits to their own use, a Bulawayo court heard.

The trio, Yevai Azizi (28), a former head teller with the bank; Joane Mudzambgwa (25) and Lydia Hungwe (27), both former bank tellers, appeared in court last week facing charges of theft.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge and Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Gladmore Mushove remanded them out of custody to 12 February this year for continuation of trial.

The State led by Mr Jeremiah Mutsindikwa alleges that the trio committed the crime during the period extending January 2012 to 13 February of the same year.

Mr Mutsindikwa told the court that during the month of January 2012, Azizi was promoted to the post of head teller, with her new job title requiring her to receive cash in treasury bundles from tellers at the end of each day.

She was then expected to check whether the cash bundles received were correct and corresponded with the attached label which she would sign and then seal with cash bundles received before depositing them in the bank vault.

The State alleges that on an unknown date during the same month, Azizi received seven cash treasury bundles consisting of $20 notes each bundle amounting to $10 000 for safe custody with a total amount of $70 000.

Azizi, who was going on leave at the time of recieving the cash bundles, is said to have handed over the sealed seven cash treasury bundles to Mudzambgwa, who was to act as head teller during the former's absence.

The court heard that the following day Mudzambgwa called in sick and did not report for duty, and Azizi was recalled from her sabbatical to hand over the cash treasury bundles to Hungwe who was to assume the duties of head teller in place of the sick Mudzambgwa.

On 13 February 2012, auditors were assigned to check the company's books and discovered that the bundles in possession of Hungwe had a shortfall of $65 448 as the bundles were sealed with $1 notes instead of $20 notes.

The bundles bore Azizi's signature. Hungwe was interviewed by auditors and stated that she had received the money with the shortfall from the accused Azizi.

A police report was made leading to the trio's arrest and subsequent appearance in court.

The State argues that the three accused persons acting in connivance violated the trust agreement that required them to hold in trust $65 448 and account for it to ZB bank as demanded, instead they converted it into their own use.

Azizi, Mudzambgwa and Hungwe were represented by Dube, Tachiona and Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners.