Chinese ATM Fraudsters Plead not Guilty

Four Chinese nationals accused of being in possession of 55 counterfeit Automated Teller Machine cards (ATMs) and 10 point of sale machines have pleaded not guilty to six counts of unauthorized access and being in possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

The quartet Fang Hua ping, 44, a businessman, Yu Fei, 36, businessman, Zhuang Wei, 35, contractor, Luo Tao, an interior  designer, all from Kamwala South are facing six counts of unauthorised access to intercept data and being in possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

The quartet is alleged to have been using the said counterfeit ATM cards to withdraw money from various ATM machines.

When the matter came up before Principle Resident Magistrate Mwaka Mikalile the suspects denied the charges.

Among the six counts, Fei and Wei in Lusaka allegedly had in their possession 20 ATM cards with intentions to unlawfully utilise them.

In another count, Ping and Wei on dates unknown but between January 1, 2015 and April 31, 2017 in Lusaka possessed K40, 000 in a Barclays Bank account, property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

The accused are expected to appear for their commencement of trial soon.