September 7, 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, 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 the first accused person is a staff of Zenith bank and the second accused person is a customer in the bank.
He said he is the external Auditor he has been working in that office for three years and has come across such situation and it depends on the nature of how it’s was presented.
The witness made reference in this matter that the accused confessed that he stole from the bank in the presence of inspector Kanneh at the Criminal investigation department CID and in the bank itself and the said inspector Kanneh is the officer that investigated the matter.
The prosecution objected that the witness has no hand on bringing the police officer in court and he does not have that power.
The witness disclosed that the accused was recruited in June 2018 as market officer and he said that the market officer has no hand in opening bank account for Individuals and the prosecution objected that the witness is not the HR or the manager of the bank.
The witness said all the accounts use have connection with the first accused person and the accused person confirmed to it.
Witness also revealed to the court that seven accounts were operated by the first accused person and two accounts belongs to the accused wife and one account belongs to his son, himself and the other belongs to the second accused person.
He furthered that the account of the child was Zaca account which means Zenith children account and the accused did open an account for his child, while the first accused person choose the second accused person to be the temporal signatory to the account till the child turns twenty one years so the second accused person is the only one that will be withdrawing moneys from the bank.
In view of the search on all the seven accounts pack that was open they couldn’t find any of them in the branch of the accused person. The witness was cross examined by S. Kaniku. The matter was adjourned 9th of September 2021 for continuation of cross examination.