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Margaret Matibiri Herald Reporter—

A Harare woman connived with her husband to steal her employer’s debit card and siphoned $6 000 from her bank. The woman appeared in court yesterday together with her husband. The couple was ordered to pay restitution and perform community service.Mary Madzima trusted Heather Mhishi to an extent of giving her the card to do shopping on her behalf. Mhishi later stole the card. She gave it to her husband Eddison Mangwende together with the personal identification number (PIN number). The husband then withdrew $6 000 on separate occasions.

Magistrate Ms Tilda Mazhande sentenced the couple to 34 months in jail. She suspended 18 months on condition the couple restitutes Madzima.

She further set aside 10 months on condition the pair performs 350 hours of community service. The remaining six months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

The couple who was jointly charged with two others, was convicted after a full trial, while its alleged accomplices were found not guilty.

On March 8, 2016, Mhishi stole Madzima’s ATM card, which she had forgotten on the table and gave it to her husband.

On March 11 at midnight, Mangwende went to the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ), Kwame Nkrumah branch, and withdrew $3 000 from an ATM machine.

He proceeded to CBZ Speke Avenue and Angwa branch and made another withdrawal of $3 000 from Madzima’s account.

The offence came to light after Madzima received a text message on her mobile phone indicating that $6 000 had been withdrawn from her account.

She reported the matter to the police. Investigations led to the arrest of the couple.

Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage obtained from the bank linked Mangwende to the offence.

He was captured withdrawing the money. The footage was played in court and the evidence strengthened the State case.