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THE trial of Barclays Bank communications and community projects manager Sibongile Chipo Mapungwana on theft charges opened yesterday at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts with the bank official denying the charges.
Mapungwana allegedly received donations amounting to US$60 000 and 2 500 British Pounds from Barclays Bank London office for development but allegedly converted the money to her personal use.
In a defence outline read in court by defence counsel Advocate Happias Zhou, Mapungwana pleaded not guilty to the charges saying she had withdrawn the money from her personal account on the understanding that it had been sent by her sister who was in the Diaspora.
She said her sister had promised to send her some money during the same period for the upkeep of the family before she learnt that it was from the London office.
Mapungwana further stated that the money was given to her as a personal award for her outstanding presentation at a workshop in UK, although she was expected to do charity work with it.
The court heard that Mapungwana channelled some of the money to charity and the bank by virtue of being its employee benefited.
On three occasions, the court heard, Mapungwana donated clothes and shoes worth more than the money in question.
Barclays Bank’s head of corporate communications Ms Vanneta Mutimukulu gave evidence saying internal security investigators informed her of the alleged theft some time last year.
The team had discovered that Mapungwana’s account was receiving suspicious monies from the London office, which prompted them to institute investigations.
The trial continues today with more witnesses testifying.
