AN alleged foreign currency dealer has been arrested for allegedly wiping a retired prison officer’s $1 million pension by hacking his cellphone and accessing his bank account.
Thompson Jagada was not asked to plead to theft and money laundering allegations when he appeared before regional magistrate Stanford Mambanje yesterday.
The State represented by Lancelot Mutsokoti opposed his admission to bail and he will be back in court today for a ruling.
The circumstances of the case are that on October 25 2021, Philip Matiza received his pension pay-out of $1 112 292.48 which was credited into his bank account.
It is alleged that on November 2, Jagada hacked Matiza’s cellphone and got access to his banking details.
He allegedly entered into his account and noticed that it had money before approaching his colleagues stating that he had money in the bank and wanted to exchange it for United States dollars.
Allegations are that he was linked to another person who wanted $470 289.09 to be transferred into a bank trust account for a law firm which was processed and he was given US$3 700 for the transfer.
It is further alleged that on the same day, Jagada went into a local supermarket and purchased bulk airtime worth $525 250 using Matiza’s bank account.
He is further alleged to have processed three other transactions transferring $9 750, $10 000 and $220 to three people.
The court heard that on November 3, Matiza went into a supermarket in Gweru where he wanted to purchase some groceries and when he tried to make a payment at the till point, the transaction was declined.
He is said to have gone to a bank in Gweru to enquire what was happening with his debit card and he was told his account only had a balance of $1 800.
Matiza reportedly requested for a printout of his bank statement which showed that all the money that was in his bank account had been withdrawn.
The complainant then reported to the bank’s loss control department and investigations carried out revealed that Jagada had fleeced Matiza of his money and went into the streets to buy foreign currency.
The accused allegedly invested in his business of selling smartphones allegedly as a way to clean the money.