By ETAMBUYU SANG’ANDU –
AN AUTOMATED Teller Machine (ATM) custodian has testified in the Kitwe High Court how she was severely beaten by robbers who got away with K1, 377,590.00 from Standard Chartered Bank.
Matildah Zulu 31 told the court that on January 12 this year, she was working with two others when they heard a knock at the entrance to the ATM room.
Ms Zulu was testifying in the case in which Fred Kaonga 35, Christopher Chansa 34, Benson Mwansa 24, Peter Kasongo 42 and Jacob Mfula 29 are charged with aggravated robbery.
The five are accused of entering an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) room at Standard Chartered Bank, Oxford branch in Kitwe on Jaunary 12 this year and stealing the money.
Ms Zulu told High Court Judge Chilombo Phiri that she was working with Kaonga and Kawina Muneku when they heard a knock at the door.
She narrated that Kaonga rushed to the door and opened it when the rule was that no one should be allowed into the ATM room when money was being loaded or when the machines were being fixed.
Ms Zulu said three men entered the room and one of them grabbed her by the neck and ordered her to face down.
The court heard that the assailants ordered everyone to lie down or else they would be shot.
Ms Zulu said the attackers shouted that the trunk containing money should be opened and that the person that was grabbing her by the neck kept using a stun gun to shock her.
