September 2, 2021
By: Audrey John
The internal auditor of Zenith Bank, Louis Turay has testified before magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No 1, on how two of their staff manipulated the banking system to defraud customers.
Led in his examination in chief, by Assistant Superintendent of police Ibrahim Mansaray, he said sometimes this year a customer came to the Bank and complained that his account was manipulated.
He produced the letter written by the customers as exhibit B.
He said after that they started internal investigation. During the investigation, it was revealed that four hundred and fifty thousand dollars on the customer`s complainant form was transferred from his account to one Isata Momoh the wife of first accused Marvin Obina the marketing officer using an application call mobile banking.
During the course of investigation, it was also discovered that the photo was that of Isata Momoh.
The witness said they tried to reach first accused to explain how it happen but to no avail. “We checked funds transferred to the same Isata Momoh and noticed that they are funds of dormant accounts “, he stated.
The witness also in his testimony said they noticed funds transferred to the account of second accused Hassan Morie Yajah.
He said the bank request to investigate second accused and in the process all the funds were transferred by mobile banking to the tune of thirty five thousand nine hundred and eighty seven dollar plus two hundred and four million, seven hundred and eighty two thousand Leones was removed from customers count and debited to his account using the name of Lansana Bangura.
He said they called both accused at the bank for questioning and in the process first accused confessed to the crime and stated that he took the money to aid the medical treatment of his brother in Nigeria who had kidney problem.
He promised to corporate with the investigations and gave them a list of accounts which was discovered during their investigation. He said second accused admitted making withdrawals for first accused upon his instructions.
He produced all documents relating to the matter and tendered them to form part of the prosecution’s case.
He said after investigating they reduced to their findings to report.
The witness said they then handed over both accused persons to the police at the Criminal Investigation Department. He said he was later called to make statement.
At the end of his examination in chief, Magistrate Sahr Keikura adjourned the matter to the 6th of September 2021 for the witness to be cross examined.