The Drug Enforcement Commission is investigating the theft of over US$400,000 from Barclays Bank Zambia by one of its employees identified as Pamela Gondwe.
Family sources have told Lusaka Times that Pamela who is a niece to immediate past Bank of Zambia Governor Michael Gondwe has shocked the entire family.
“We are all very shocked because it is not like she was broke. She actually grew up in Dr Gondwe’s home. Pamela had money and we are just shocked that she could do such a thing, it is shocking,” a family member said.
The family source added that as Premier Retail Support Staff at the Bank, Pamela was getting about K20,000 a month as salary.
“You can see that this is not someone desperately in need of cash, she probably just wanted to go away and start a new life,” the source added.
And about four of Pamela’s close friends were summoned at DEC Headquarters in Lusaka for questioning.
The Commission is tying to piece together a puzzle of how Pamela single handily stole and concealed US$ 400,000 from Barclays Bank Longacres Branch.
It was discovered that Pamela who is single and without children paid rent in advance last week for her Sisters and Dependents to cover a period of ten months.
And some bank insiders have revealed that two Managers at the Bank have since been suspended following the heist.
“It’s simply procedural. You know the Bank has got systems and if those systems are breached, someone has to pay and unfortunately the Managers are taking the heat. From the way it appears, they could even lose their jobs,” a bank employee said.
“Longacres Branch feels like a funeral today,” he added.
DEC offices also took away a number of bank employees from Risk Department for questioning to help with investigations.
All those questioned were later released.
The Bank on Monday afternoon reported the case to Longacres Police after it noticed that $400,000 had vanished from its US dollar vault.
Since Monday, the Bank Management wanted to keep the story a secret fearing it might harm the bank’s credibility and have a run.
When reached for a comment, Barclays Bank Communications Manager Banji Lufungulo confirmed the incident but declined to comment further for fear of jeopardizing investigations.
But Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo expressed ignorance on the matter stating that no such case has been reported to the police
“Check with other law enforcement agencies,” she said before quickly cutting the line.
And there are reports that Pamela Gondwe’s friends are currently in custody to help with investigations while the Barclays Bank premises in Long Acres are being manned by DEC officials.
Pamela is also author of a book titled ‘Tears in a suitcase’.
A check on her social media profile showed yet she loved traveling and maintained an expensive lifestyle.
She was in a relationship with a Ugandan man and recently returned from a trip to West Africa.
Pamela was one of the people entrusted with the Vault.
It is believed that about two weeks ago, Pamela went to work carrying an empty bag and claimed that she had just bought it from a vendor at Longacres.
She left the bag in the vault room and on Monday, Pamela told a workmate at the Vault section that she had received instructions from the Head Office to get the serial numbers for all the US Dollars in the Vault.
The two then entered the Vault and started serializing the batches of US dollars in the Vault.
Midway, Pamela offered her female colleague a Sausage which was cold and the colleague decided to go and warm it from the Staff Canteen and eat it from there.
Pamela then quickly loaded all the US Dollars in the bag and hid the bag within the banking premises.
When her colleague returned, Pamela had already locked her part and told her colleague that she had locked her part and was on her way to the Saloon for a quick retouch to her hair.
She then used the back door out of the bank to the alley between Puma Filling Station and the Bank through to Longacres market and disappeared, leaving behind her mobile phone.
Later Bank official became suspicious after she did not return and they managed to open the Vault using a master key only to find that US$400,000 dollars missing.
CCTV footage showed her loading the money in her bag.
Fake News!
We shall not be distracted from the Government theft highlighted FIC Report.
Propaganda fail.
James bond…
Bane beware what movies you are watching.
She probably gave some money to her Prophet at one of the happy-clappy churches for blessings. I doubt she worships at any of the old-fashioned and boring churches that contributed to building Zambia. I mean those churches whose pioneer missionaries travelled by steamship from Europe or USA and then by scotch cart drawn by oxen into Zambia to plant the seed of today;s Christian Zambia.
This is very little money.
It is money Nick and I have spent on a deposit to our house.
Who cares.
I have a pHd
Thanks
bb2014,2016
I think it’s illegal and against the General Data Protection Regulation ((GDPR)/Data Protection Act 2018 to publicly link then Bank of Zambia Governor to the suspect. LT, please redact the news or be prosecuted under GDPR.
God bless Zambia.
Imfwiti mfwiti imwe, Leave the girl alone! what wrong has done to your family. ama stories ya FIC aya.
Pamela for State House Press Aid.
When we tell you that LAZY LUNGU is destroying the country this is what we mean …today this is what is trending on social media as if she will get far with money. Its very interesting to note that a lot of young people especially women are talking about this if only they showed the selfsame interest in the FIC Report and the $7 million that is going into PEPs pockets. I mean banks are insuranced against such things and $400K is small change to them but unfortunately taxpayer’s funds are not.
Anafela sausage! Boza. The friend is also involved. Look into that camera again and analyse it. Look at the eyes of the friend and see if there is any body language between the two. Follow the friend closely as she will be looking for her cut soon.
Pamela, was she is foot that day? why didn’t she drive to work? where is her car?
*….insured
This must be one of the most hopeless banks in the world. How do you entrust the key to the vault to one person? The entire management should be fired.
Mushota – 1.3
You posted that you had a miscarriage a few years ago. Then followed up by – that Nick had died. Are we talking a resurrection of Nick
Lord Save Us
I had a miscarriage but Nick is not dead and we are still trying for a baby for the last 7 months and we are hopeful.
Who lied to you?
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Mushota 1.11
In that case you are the one that lied. You posted that Nick had passed away. unless if someone is impersonated you
Pamela probably just walked out with $40,000 but the real thieves added an extra zero when reporting and they are now patting each other on the back
Living as a fugitive with $400000…not worth it…..taking away your own freedom…”Live free or die” as the New Hampshire saying ….This is the money you can easily make by working or doing business….that’s the problem when people are not content with what they have…..end up stealing and start running from your own shadow
Run, Pam, Run! Though those lips are too distinctive to disguise.
Ir runs in the family. Michael Gondwe is a thief, a complete corrupt person.
I had a look and have copies of loan fule that financed Zambezi Portland Cement.
Mahtani’s henchman Barkat Ali issued a fake statement showing Mahtani had transferred USD5 Million as shareholders capital. This was done with full knowledge of Gondee. He pressurized PTA Bank board to approve loan for cement plant 60% of the size of a cement plant bank had financed at project cost less than half of what Maharani had submitted to PTA Bank
Hindee gave a line of credit to Finance Bank for which 2% of the limit was paid to Gondwe.
Mahtani used to boast of Michael 8n his pocket.
Pamela stayed with Hindee learnt stealing from him.
Pamela fits right in as a PF cabinet minister or state house aid.
She wants her name on the next FIC report
Uli chipuba iwe. Ifili fyonse kubikamo ama politics
This is very normal in Zambia, except in this instance she’s not a government minister like Chitotela or a senior civil servant.
Lock her up. No one is above the law. That’s how we need sharia law to curb corruption, public theft by civil servants and theft by employees. I am radical because the country needs me too. Let’s make Zambia first African country to be free of corruption.
The Objective is correct. Sharia law has not been known to assist. Look at Afghanistan. Perhaps Iran just perhaps…
Northern Nigeria has Sharia law but has not been freed of corruption. Trouble is you do not know how much the Middle Eastern trinity of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have in common. I belong to none of them but I recognise the commonalities: not eating pork (Judaism and Islam and 7th Day Adventists), an eye for an eye justice (all three of them) etc. I read the Bible and the Koran as historical records to learn about an ancient society in the Middle East and its superstitions.
Nemwine- In fact apart from Christians believing in Jesus, Muslims in Muhammed and Jews not believing in any of these two the traditions are the same. As for corruption, Arab countries are the most corrupt in the world maybe only beaten by the Chinese. You don’t get to hear about it because of lack of free flow of information.
@Nemwine you forgot they all endorse slavery
“She was in a relationship with a Ugandan man and recently returned from a trip to West Africa.”
You mean just returned from training somewhere in west africa?
DEC vaso ankalako swift.SMDH
Please go for the industrial scale criminals as, otherwise this “cancer” is yet to claim all of us.
Already we are hearing that former Press Aid to President Lungu, Amos Chanda was “constructively” fired a week ago for collecting money from Vendatta crooks who have been holding government to ransom, on the premise that, he would persuade the Head of State to subject Konkola Copper Mine to receivership and not liquidation.
Receivership is where the courts appoint a legal entity to run Konkola, as the disputed case is still active for adjudication while Liquidation, which government did on Kokola is where the mine is closed until the case is disposed-off. With Receivership, Vendatta would still be benefiting from Konkola while with Liquidation they don’t. Amos Chanda was paid $300,000…
Smart girl getting piece of her cake
Smart but not clever.
If you think stealing only $400K is smart to leave your life on the run from a good paying job then you are daft as she is. Its clear they are heading to the boyfriends place in Uganda or Tanzania somewhere he is very familiar with its just a matter of time before Interpol changes up.
….catches up.
Until we hear more, please take it as a fake story by trib.als who want to discourage foreign investment. Let’s hear from Bloombag and Fake Mills please?
Tried to get a comment from Shown Terror and his allies but their phones went unanswered.
Sounds fiction to me and shallow
It’s because of poor reporting
This is scarcely.
In the modern world you can not hide.
Just look at how you are undressed at the airport. Shoes, belt, id even your skeleton is scanned. These are international safety regulations.
I feel sad and sorry for the young girl who has destroyed her life.
If you are reading this my girl please just come back.
Poor tribalist.. bembas just steal tuma k100, k50 and k2 after talking to much to swindle you. Pick pocketing lol just look at easterners once they make a move.. the whole national speaks…lol……joking
Easterners are the worst thieves and yet they claim that bembas are thieves, remember the case of Ringo Phiri(K350m), Wada phiri(K1.4m), there is another Phiri undisclosed amount, Dora Siliya(lap Green and Radar issues, Maxiwell Mwale and now Pamela Gondwe(K7m) na balya njikwite the list is endless ba pompwe imwe.
Remove tribe from this thing please. Most humans are flawed no matter what religion they belong to.
MANIC @ 10
Go F***CK your mother so hard. Just in case you dad fails to do the job in bed.
In every tribe, race we have thieves
Stereotyping is a weakness of lazy bastards who are too dumb to examine data and statistics because this requires a lot of effort. It’s easier to group people together and say all blacks are criminals or all Bembas are this and that
Bawiso
Poor tribalist.. bembas just steal tuma k100, k50 and k2 after talking to much to swindle you. Pick pocketing lol just look at easterners once they make a move.. the whole national speaks…lol……joking
Easterners are the worst thieves and yet they claim that bembas are thieves, remember the case of Ringo Phiri(K350m), Wada phiri(K1.4m), there is another Phiri undisclosed amount, Dora Silit(Lap Green and Radar issues, Maxiwell Mwale and now Pamela Gondwe(K7m) na balya njikwite the list is endless ba pompwe imwe.
Is a branch like the Longacres branch allowed to kept that much foreign currency in its vault at any given time? I think this will come down to being the bank’s fault, law has probably been breached.
I just hope that money isn’t going to fund Boko Haram and Al Shabab, because while some people may applaud her she maybe brainwashed, and worse turned terrorist herself, this is the big bad picture – the picture that none of us wants to see. I just hope it isn’t.
Truth be told it’s now become common knowledge the heavily corrupt African countries like ours are being used in various money laundering activities to fund various terrorist activities across the world. Due to their greed both low and high ranking officials in both private and public sector unknowingly participate in money…
cont’d
.. unknowingly participate in money laundering activities and stealing of public funds which one way or another help build and fund various terrorist networks. Such activities could be as little as buying counterfeit goods, procuring services from a company whose owners have terrorist sympathies, etc.
As a citizenry let’s be vigilant, because tomorrow it may be our local shopping getting attacked by terrorists.
VIVA FIC TRENDS REPORT!
Dokowe – $500K is nothing…there are businesses buying more forex than that everyday.
If leadership is leading the way in stealing, what of a common man? The who systems are rotten. Corruption and pilferage is the order of the day. Workers are not motivated. You give a civil servant 4 percent increment and you expect him to be corrupt free. As long as government has no plans for the workers, such incidences of pilferage will continue in perpetuity. Civil servants are subjected to harsh conditions. This has resulted in unprofessional conducts which we are seeing. Foreigners have more respect than our own citizens. They even get weather allowance just because they have inhaled Zambian air. Stealing and pilferage will never come to an end if people who are doing the job are not motivated.
These are wasted LUNGU YEARS indeed!!
Lingo Phiri and now Pamela Gondwe! Awe mwepesha metre Ba underground managers.
Ringo’s mother is from Mansa, Luapula. People who knew say he was Bemba than anything else.
She grew up in Dr Gondwe’so house. ..maybe that’s where she learned how to avoid fraud detection.
Manage life style and be simple if not it leads to such actions
Fake news. This is not reported in any of world news. Only Zambian fake news. Why does Lusaka Times not verify stories before publishing them.
It isn’t a big story that can warrant international coverage naimwe. It’s only of interest to Zedians
Pamela why?
Branches keep that much forex?
From a different angle, LT, why are you putting pic of former governor and why bring the man into this issue?
I’m wondering the same. This is embarrassing an innocent and prominent person.
Why indeed? Why is the governor’s name in the headlines when the culprit is a niece? Ni journalism ya bwanji iyi Kansi?
Blame yourselves, no internal and external controls in place. There were some red flag but you decided to ignore them.You don’t just do something overnight.She had planned and saw the opportunity. Rationalization and Perceived Pressure are some of the reasons why people commit fraud or steal. She paid rent in advanced – pressure to look after her dependents.That K20,000 is not enough for someone who want extravagant life. What did she acquire (assets) and what was her net-worth?The answers would have opened eyes for the manager and this mess would have been prevented.
obviously the money is not up to this much senior people in Barclays also got a piece knowing their job is at stake you atleast secure some settlement and everything will be said to have been gotten by Pamela.G.
Pmela you should have gotten alot and atleast share with you brothes and sisters at Zeph, national housing authority ,Zampost , council and others who have not been paid their dues .
beware of Micheal ‘s Children Micheal Kaingu sorry mwe ba fyashi abana balemi mweneshamo when you are suppose to have a quiet life.
It is pointless pushing the former governor in the mud by publishing his image. Children can be raised up with good character but whatever happens in their after life is none of the parents business. That picture of our renowned Bank of Zambia Governor should not have been produced on a story of fraud. You are insinuating that the governor was also part of the fraud. He has built a good name for himself which should not be dented by a mischievous family member. It is against professional journalism ethics to attack someone’s reputation owing to misconduct of a family member. The former governor deserves respect and preservation of his integrity. He should not be crucified owing to someone’s misdemeanor. That is poor reporting. He can even raise legal point on Lusaka Times.
Nowhere in the story does it say the former BOZ Governor had anything to do with the crime. It merely says he is the uncle to the culprit which is not prohibited by any law regarding reporting. In fact it is part of professional journalism to present a broad report on the culprit’s social environment and this includes her family relations.
I was talking about publishing his image. Am glad it has been pulled down. We need to be professional in reporting. You can publicize the image of an innocent person on fraud issues. Let the image of a culprit be there. I thank you.
I meant you cannot publicize.
They are poor journalists who have never seen the inside of a lecture theater. Journalists should know ethics and stick to them. What you ve stated is repeated in journalism schools over and over. But these days anyone can wake up and start his own newspaper or website and just put up lies a d and libelous material which we the readers seem to love and life will go on
@Nine Chale stop talking crap. Iam a lawyer who defends plenty of journalists in court. It is repeated in Journalism schools over and over not to rush into connecting people who are not connected to the story at hand. How does the fact that Gondwe who was ex BOZ governor make you understand the story better? It doesn’t. In fact it makes the reader want to conclude he may have helped in the theft because he has experience of banking operations. If the editor felt the need to include this information he should not have put it in the headline- small background sentence at the end would have done.
@mbaluso
Gondwe’s name being dragged in this story is perfectly in order. Remember this is a prominent member of Zambian society. For one of his nieces to get involved in day light robbery, do you think this isn’t news?
When Kambarage Kaunda murdered a woman in cold blood, to us ordinary citizens, it was as if wa Muyayaya mankangala munshi fukatilwa David Kenneth Kaunda, the president of the republic of of Zambia himself pulled the trigger.
How you think Gondwe shouldn’t be mentioned in this saga is puzzling!
Such a successful operation could not have been the work of a single person! Check the friends also!
My only disappointment is DEC! They work like they are victims of drugs. Why are they quick on smaller crimes?
Is it a worse crime to be a small criminal or a politically exposed one with 49 houses in gratification?
What message are we sending out there? Let us all become big thieves and we’ll be safe! After all, there is a standing decree that Ubomba Mwibala Alya Mwibala! Sorry to our children. There will be nothing left for you!
Clever
The west african guy had nointimate relation with pamela but with the bank the guy induced her in this heist .this is a lesson for all banks not to let single people with multiple partners to b left to handle such important services like vaults.this was avery organised crime kuwashiya sure! However this pamela has just acted as aconveyer to the ugandan man n wil end up being brused n broke
Ringo Phiri was a legend. Stole 350 million and bought sausages, dumping the rest of the money mu chichele plantation. Why they never made a movie based on his story I will always wonder.
Ba tulo ama Zambian film makers
Pamela why?
Interesting similarities with Ringo Phiri—- both cases involved (almost) same amounts in Dollar terms , both involved “tricking” fellow employee , both involved Barclays Bank and both involved a “sausage” somewhere in the cycle. Hmm.
Most of the money went for the lip job. Mwaiona lip imwe?
We are told that she boarded ethiopian Airways for Tanzania but how on earth did she pass through the scanners at the airport with such kind of money, are you telling me that at KKIA they don’t scan luggages? I smell a rat here, this is a syndicate, she must have bribed her way through up to where ever she is and must have planned this before, after all we are are told that she just returned on a trip from Ghana with the boy friend. Anyway this is what happens in a country where a president shields thieves or himself partakes in thieving.
UFO – If you put that money in your suitcases …the scanner people will not red flag that he will probably think its books when has scanner guy ever asked you to open language at check-in …I mean you are leaving the country.
It is not wrong to mention her uncle in this mess.She obviously got that job because he was the boss there. It was wrong for her to get a man from Uganda….. I know he has a hand in this . But to leave such a nice-paying job and run away is wrong. when caught,it is prison , poor and lack of sleep. To those of you who are bringing religion in this ..well shame on you ! God’s wisdom is beyond your simple minds. Your ‘intelligence is nothing compared to even a grade one in South Sudan.
Its very wrong lik the Ex Bank of Zambia governor in the issues of a family member. this man should be respected by all Zambians for hes service to this nation.
pamela, take care of yourself because you sins will surely follow you because same one innocent in that Bank and hes family will safe because of what you have done.
Now the DEC should not become busy on Pamela’s issue when they have failed to clean the corruption in Zambian garvement .
people have become rech over night and the oidditer generals reports are there, the names are mentioned evely day by those who know them. nothing has been done.
over Pamela’s issue you are all over showing us Zambian that u are working.
kindly clean those one’s in Zambian garvement because it over due.
pamela’s case is still a…
Boz, where were you? Failure of supervision? Barclays Board failed to manage risks. Barclays branch management at the branch were sleeping. Internal audit at the bank, sleeping. Chief operations manager maybe spent too much time in the office! Who tell us what really happened?
Branch security, incompetent.
This theft brings into question the banks internal control procedures. The good thing about this theft is that you can be sure other banks have stepped up their risk & control procedures.
Let’s deal with the real criminals
LT, what has the ex-bank governor got to do with this?
Pamela fits right in as a PF cabinet minister or state house aid.
She wants her name on the next FIC report
Why and how can someone from a public figure family have such low morality? Corruption must be passed through family ties! Although the article has clearly not suggested the bank governor was involved. It merely stated the family connections, which was necessary to the story to give an idea of the background to the lady.
That mouth and those teeth look like she ‘eat’ 400,000 USD! Lipstick colour pronounces it!
How daft is this lady! Who else would have been thought to take the money? Maybe the sausage lady took some in her pants.
This is not the case of, ‘I love it when a plan comes together!’
Am sure the uncle was not mentioned to dent his good reputation but it’s a question of Pamela why…This is just showing that despite coming from a well to do family nd having a well paying job she still went on to steal,what pressure was she having that lead her to such act. Nothing wrong was mentioned about the uncle but to ask yourself questions bcoz if she needed more money she would have asked help from family.
So don’t crucify the journalist for this…moreover in cases like this family suffers nd the uncle is family.
Bank was slow in reporting as she could
Have been caught if reported earlier.just
Inform airport’s and exit borders by Interpol. Always employ this type of job
To a family man or woman with children
Who is responsible.
Very true
The Corrupt Republic of Zambia where poverty is headquartered.
Congratulations…their was effort added. You worked , you planned,and you managed. If it was easy everyone would have done it. That’s being smart. If I had a chance I wud have done exactly the same. Use opportunity wen u still have them.
Every one is becoming a thief, good lord
James hardly chase….. She must have read this book.
Manzi akoka mufolo
Lungu ==> BOZ Governor ==> Pamela ==> DEC
…ulya mwibala…
DEC is deliberately taking too long to catch-up with Pamela cause this takes away attention from the FIC report, KCM screw-up, Amos and Lungu witchcraft. Small price?
Cage CCTV security officers on duty who saw what was happening in the vault and did not take quick action to apprehend Pamela.
true
THAT’S THE GOOD IMPACT OF ONLY EMPLOYING PEOPLE YOU ARE RELATED TO….. EvEN THOUGH THEY CAN’T DO THE WORK WHY CAN’T THEY EMPLOYE SOMEONE WHO IS FULLY QUALIFIED
Leave the girl alone, she just implemented Lungu’s philosophy of ‘UUBOMBA MWIBALA’. Compare $400,000 with $80,000,000.
if i was dec i would search all relatives houses,maybe she is around drinking tea and watching what is going on.after the story cools down then she will leave.