Sorry, we’ve no client by your name, says bank

I am a farmer who supplies sugar cane to Sony sugar factory. In February this year, the sugar miller was supposed to deposit Sh546,085 to my Co-operative bank account in Migori, but unfortunately, the amount was wired into someone’s else account in Kisumu.

Since then, I have tried following up the issue with the bank but my efforts have all been in vain. My frequent visits to the lender have equally bore no fruit. Please help me get my hard-earned money back.

Hellen

Hello Hellen,

Thank you for taking time to write to us and expressing confidence that we can help you resolve the issue you are having with Co-operative Bank.

We are sorry that your hard-earned money found its way into someone else’s account, which has to date caused you pain and suffering.

Your email, however, did not give full details of what transpired before this incidence occurred. As such, it was not clear to us whether it was your fault that Sony Sugar Company got the incorrect account number or if it was the company’s mistake.

That aside, our attempts to contact you through the telephone numbers you provided in order to get the above details were not successful as you could not be reached on your mobile line.

That notwithstanding, we got in touch with Co-operative Bank, seeking to understand why it had taken long to reverse the transaction so that you could get your money back.

Surprisingly to us, according to the bank, this case has never existed. In a statement, the bank said that it has no pending issue with any customer by the name Hellen Awino in Migori, Kisumu, or in any other branch in Kenya, either on Sony Sugar payments or any other payments for that matter.

The response left us wondering because, on the one hand, you claim that you have an account with Co-operative Bank whose details were mistaken, thereby erroneously wiring money into another person’s account while, on the other hand, the bank disowned having knowledge of this issue.

As we noted earlier, our failed attempts to get in touch with you on telephone were to clarify if indeed you meant Co-operative Bank.

However, this does not mean an end in finding a solution to this matter. Since we have talked with Co-operative Bank, who claimed not to be aware of your problem, we would advise that you engage Sony Sugar Company on this matter.

Let Sony Sugar explain and give evidence, say, deposit slips or any other form of evidence, to prove that it indeed deposited the money in the said account.

Once this is available, please enlist the services of a lawyer or any other relevant authority on the issue with both institutions, the bank and the miller, so that it can be clear where your payment disappeared into.

This is a huge amount of money and we are sure that as a farmer, just as you said, losing it might be a big blow to your business.

Do not hesitate to contact us for further assistance. This forum will try to be of help, where we can.

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Equity Bank has reimbursed your money, at last

I wonder what the role of banks is if the safety of my money in an account is not guaranteed and, when I complain, nobody seems bothered. I have a salary account with Equity Bank, Digo Road branch, Mombasa.

On Wednesday, July 25, 2012, when I went to withdraw some money using my Equity card, the ATM machine could not dispense cash since it indicated that I had insufficient funds.

On enquiry from the reception desk in the bank, I was informed that indeed I had exhausted my money on the same day. If my memory serves me right, I had not withdrawn any money that day.

I was then referred to the operations manager who advised me to fill a form and told me that they would investigate the matter.

Later, I went back only to be informed that the money was ‘removed’ from the account via ‘Internet’ ,not through an ATM machine, using my Visacard and that there was nothing the bank would do to help.

Can the bank come out clean about this case? Can they tell me and the public that our money is not safe in their hands?

How does it become my problem when I cannot access my salary, yet my cards are securely kept with their secret PIN codes and my employer has sent the money to my account?

Samuel

Hello Samuel,

Thank you for your patience with us as we tried our best to ensure that we get to the bottom of this matter.

In a response to your email two weeks ago, we requested a week to get in touch with Equity Bank and ensure that you get your money back.

We are glad that the matter is resolved and the bank has reimbursed the missing amount into your account.

In the last reply we got from one of the bank staff who was involved in this issue, he promised to hold a meeting with you so that you can iron out any pending matters.

Since we were not party to the meeting, we hope that the bank gave reasons for the occurrence and that you were satisfied.

Do not hesitate to contact us when you have another problem. We are willing to give assistance where we can. Thank you for being an avid reader of this column.

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