The Lusaka High Court has entered a judgment in favor of ABSA Bank Zambia, formerly Barclays Bank, after ordering fugitive former employee Pamela Gondwe to pay the bank over K270,000 for a house loan facility she obtained in 2011.
In June 2019, Ms Gondwe disappeared with US$400,000 cash belonging to the bank.
Before her disappearance, Ms Gondwe was among the employees entrusted with the vault of the bank at Lusaka’s Longacres Branch.
Ms Gondwe has since been on the run.
In this matter, ABSA Bank sued Ms Gondwe for failing to pay K271,102.64 which she obtained as a staff housing loan facility.
ABSA Bank was seeking an order of foreclosure, possession and sale of Subdivision No 2260 of Lot No 1052/M, Lusaka secured by the Mortgage Deed dated May 5, 2011.
ABSA Head of Collections and Recoveries, Nabulanga Ntalasha stated that as at March 21 2021, Ms Gondwe was still owing the bank K183,037.69 as the principal sum and K88,064.95 as interest from the date of the default bringing the sum due to K271,102, 64.
The bank attempted to serve Ms Gondwe the law suit but did not find her at her last residential address in Kafue Estate.
The bank then sought leave of court to serve her by way of advertisment but Ms Gondwe did not respond or file defence in the matter.
The bank then applied for a judgment in their favor which judge Lameck Mwale granted.
The judge said in his extempore judgment that the K271,102.64 Ms Gondwe was owing shall attract interest at the contractual rate from date of originating summons to date of judgment and thereafter, at the current bank lending rate as determined by the Bank of Zambia until date of payment.
Judge Mwale further ordered that Ms Gondwe should pay the money with interest within 45 days after the judgement date.
Therefore, judge Mwale ordered that the bank would be at liberty to take possession and sale the mortgaged property and granted the bank costs to be agreed.
Judge Mwale has not granted Ms Gondwe leave to appeal.
