HARARE - A former international banking officer with BancABC reportedly manipulated a client’s account and fleeced more than $1 million through fraudulent bank transfers.
Nhamoinesu Francis, 32, of 2032 Mainway Meadows, Waterfalls appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei yesterday facing $1 006 088 fraud charges.
He was remanded in custody pending his bail ruling.
Prosecutor Farai Gatsi alleged that Nhamoinesu’s duties included management of bank accounts and facilitating international transfers.
The complainant is Taira Services Limited — a Cyprus-based company that trades in gold.
It is the State’s case that on November 16, 2012, a memorandum of sale and purchase of gold was entered between Nhamoinesu’s alleged accomplices Muneer Kazi and Raziya Kazi, who are still at large, who were representing Earthclean Trading (Pvt) (Ltd).
Terms of the agreement were that Earthclean would sell and deliver gold on behalf of Taira Services to DZ Trading in Dubai.
On August 23 last year, Muneer and Raziya received $1 006 088 from Earthclean meant for gold purchases.
The money was transferred from DZ Trading.
After receiving the payment, accused persons failed to supply the gold to Taira Services and allegedly converted the money to their own use.
In an alleged effort to deceive the complainant, Muneer and Raziya engaged Nhamoinesu to raise fraudulent bank transfers with false swift code details which were purporting that the money in question had been transferred back into Taira Services’ bank account.
Nhamoinesu further supplied the forged documents to the complainant who later verified them with BancABC and discovered that they had been forged.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to Nhamoinesu’s arrest.