A personal banker, Abel Takaruva (41), allegedly stole over $14 000 from ZB Bank after tampering with depositors’ accounts. He pleaded not guilty to 34 counts fraud and in his defence said that the State had mixed up the bank’s cash outflow and mere set-offs.
Prosecutor, Mr Usheunesu Mhiti told the court that Takaruva was stationed at ZB Bank Douglas Road branch in Harare’s Workington area and his duties included distributing loans to the bank’s clients. He had access to the bank’s loan system and could facilitate the transfer of money without authorisation by a supervisor.
It is alleged that between April 2011, and June 2015 Takaruva increased the loans of clients who were servicing their loans. Afterwards, he would withdraw the money from various ATMs using bank cards he fraudulently obtained. To cover up the offence, he allegedly deducted money from those loans and credited the money into the bank’s loan interest account and other bank accounts.
More: Herald