Former Metbank supervisor up for defrauding Premie...

Former Metbank supervisor up for defrauding Premier Tobacco

Michael Mashiri

Zim Now Correspondent

A former Metbank supervisor has been arraigned before the courts accused of defrauding Premier Tobacco Auction Floors.

Temba Saukira, 58, of Glen Norah A, appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Courts charged with fraud.

He was remanded in custody.

The complainant in this matter is Premier Tobacco Auction Floors, represented by its loss control manager, Blessing Takaadiyi Dongo.

The State alleges that on April 13, 2023, a farmer, Samuel Madzonganyika sold his tobacco at Premier Tobacco Auction Floors and his payment was transferred into his two accounts for RTGS and US$ in another account.

The accounts were credited with ZWL$691 536 and US$3 751.33 respectively.

Madzonganyika then encountered challenges with withdrawing his money and approached Premier Tobacco Auction Floors for help.

Premier Tobacco Auction Floors went on to pay him through Ecocash for which he acknowledged receipt.

Premier Tobacco Auction Floors, through Madzonganyika, then engaged Metbank which was represented by Saukira to reverse both funds that had been deposited into Madzonganyika's account.

It is alleged that Madzonganyika then wrote instructing the bank to reverse the funds back to Premier Tobocco Auction account.

It is alleged that Saukira signed the instruction acknowledging receipt of Madzonganyika's request.

The matter came to light when Premier Tobacco Auction Floors made a follow-up with Metbank and discovered that the money was fraudulently withdrawn by Saukira who used it to his own benefit instead of reversing it as per instruction, leading to his arrest.

As a result, Premier Tobacco Auction lost US$3 751.33 and US$300 was recovered.