By Adeline Mapfumo
A former Cassava Smartech merchant account manager appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for stealing a merchant number before he was discharged from work and used it for his personal Ecocash transactions.
The 34-year-old Leeroy Joe is accused of stealing a merchant number that belonged to BM Graphics Suppliers, before he was released from work and used it for his personal benefit.
The accused pleaded not guilty when he appeared before magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa at the Harare magistrates’ courts.
On dates unknown, in June 2019, Joe was employed by Cassava Smartech as a merchant account manager.
The State’s case is that he stole a merchant line which he used to make Ecocash transactions.
On January 14 and 15 this year, Joe transferred a total of ZWL400 000 in batches of ZWL100 000.
The transfer allegedly was made from an Ecocash merchant that belongs to CABS Bank and held in trust by Cassava into his stolen merchant.
After his transfers, Joe is said to have approached several people in the Harare CBD and used all the Ecocash money to buy United States (US) dollars from them.
He is said to have then exhausted the funds on January 16.
On January 24, Cassava is said to have detected the theft during their reconciliation and a report was made to the police.
On February 11, information was acted upon leading to the arrest of Joe.
The accused is claimed to have been searched when he was arrested and an Econet line he used to call the people who sold him US dollars was found.
Joe was granted ZWL3 000 bail on condition that he does not apply for travel documents until the matter is tried.
He is obliged to also report on Mondays and Fridays at Avondale police station.
He was remanded to March 12. Zim Morning Post
