ABANKER at Atlas Mara has been taken to court for allegedly stealing over K1 million by making false entries in the bank’s card management system to purport that different amounts of money were deposited in various accounts. The alleged stolen amounts of money were in British pound and United States dollar. This is in a case Regis Phiri, 30, of Makeni in Lusaka, is facing 12 counts of theft by servant and fraudulent false accounting. In the first count, it is alleged that on July 5, 2019, being a banker employed by Atlas Mara, Phiri made eight false entries in the Atlas Mara card management system. He allegedly used bank officers’ credentials to falsely show that a payment of £12,000 was authorised and deposited into account 45939700. In the second count, it is alleged that on the same date, Phiri stole £12,000 from Atlas Mara.

In the third count, on the same date, Phiri allegedly made 11 false entries in Atlas Mara’s card management system. He allegedly used bank workers’ credentials to fraudulently show that a payment of £16,500 was authorised and deposited into account 48544800. In the fourth count, Phiri allegedly stole £16,500 from Atlas Mara. It is further alleged in the fifth count that on the same date, Phiri made 10 false entries in the bank’s card management system. He allegedly used bank workers’ documents to show that a payment of US$15,000 was authorised and deposited in account 48559200, when in fact not. In the sixth count, Phiri allegedly stole US$15,000 from Atlas Mara.

It is alleged in the seventh count that on June 29 last year, Phiri made 11 false entries in the bank’s card management system. He allegedly used bank workers’ details to show that a payment of £16,500 was authorised and deposited into account 48544800, when in fact not. In the eighth count, Phiri is accused of having stolen £16,500 from Atlas Mara. In the ninth count, Phiri allegedly made six false entries in the bank’s card management system. He allegedly used bank workers’ details to purport that a £9,000 payment was authorised and deposited into account 45939700.

In the 10th count, Phiri allegedly stole £9,000. Phiri also allegedly made 16 false entries in the bank’s card management system using fellow workers’ details to purport that a payment of US$23,500 was authorised and deposited into account 48559200. In the last count, Phiri allegedly stole US$23,000. On Friday, Phiri appeared before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Lameck Mwale and denied all the charges. The case was adjourned to April 2 for tria