Three Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) employees were yesterday convicted of defrauding the central bank of $100 000 each, and slapped with five year-jail terms by Harare regional magistrate Morgan Nemadire.
The three, Sydney Pamire (36), Stanley Tichaona (28) and Muscelyn Nyasha Mpinyuri (38), who were based at the RBZ retail banking section, had three years of their sentences suspended on condition they did not commit related crimes in the next five years.
The remaining two years were also suspended on condition they paid the money back within times stipulated by the court.
Pamire will have to pay back $15 653 before or on December 21, Tichaona $2 449 and Mpinyuri must restitute the bank $25 900 before March 31 next year.
Police managed to recover $255 998 which the magistrate ordered be returned to RBZ.
“There is little doubt the accused persons committed a fairly serious offence. Such a situation has brought shame to them and their families. They have also lost their jobs,” said Nemadire in his judgment.
The scam was hatched in June last year when the three destroyed a teller log report and pages from the books containing the fraudulent transaction.
Police investigations revealed the trio, working in cahoots with one Greyson Buzuwe, who is still at large, stole the cash and shared $100 000 each.
