A UNIVERSITY of Zimbabwe (UZ) messenger, Joseph Makaranga, yesterday appeared in court facing charges of defrauding MBCA Bank of $3 746.
BY SILENCE CHARUMBIRA
Makaranga (30) pleaded guilty when he appeared before Harare magistrate Blessing Murwisi and was remanded out of custody to today for sentence.
The court heard, sometime in 2013, MBCA Bank availed a loan facility to the public with a condition that the beneficiary had to remain in employment until the loan had been repaid.
The employer, according to the loan agreement, was also required to undertake to the bank that the beneficiary’s salary would continue to be received through the same bank and that if his contract was to be terminated, his benefits would go through the same bank to enable the financial institution to recover its dues.
However, with the intention to defraud the bank, Makaranga fraudulently prepared a letter of undertaking purporting it had been issued by the UZ and signed by the institution’s deputy registrar, human resources, Joreen Nyamadzi.
On April 4, 2013, Makaranga presented the fraudulent letter of undertaking to the bank together with his loan application forms and the financial institution processed the application.
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The court heard, Makaranga was then made to sign an offer letter on April 11 agreeing and undertaking to carry out the obligation of not to redirect his salary to another bank in any way for the duration of the loan facility.
The bank, the court heard, approved the application and deposited $3 900 into his account which he accessed and utilised.
After just three months, Makaranga defaulted and redirected his salary to Ecobank to avoid servicing the loan.
The court heard on October 26 this year, MBCA Bank approached the UZ for clarity as to why Makaranga’s salary had ceased to go through their institution before explaining the legal consequences.
Nyamadzi then scrutinised the letter of undertaking and realised that it was not authentic in all aspects, resulting in a police report leading to his arrest.
The State was represented by Zorodzai Dumbura.
