More complaints against man accused of financial deception, court told

More complainants have come forward in the case of a man charged with deceiving a woman out of €17,000, which she believed was to help him fund his business in Malawi, a district court has been told.

Bright Banda (39), formerly of Meadow Lane, Roscommon Road, Athlone, Co Roscommon, was previously remanded in custody with consent to bail subject to a hefty independent surety of €10,000 as well as his own bond of €5,000.

His case came before Judge Bernadette Owens at Athlone District Court, where Ross Nestor BL said Mr Banda had not yet been able to take up bail.

Sergeant Sandra Keane informed the court that more injured parties have made similar allegations against the accused, with Garda Gavin Conway conducting various verification checks on Mr Banda’s identity with INTERPOL.

The case is “progressing well”, Sgt Keane said, “the file would have been presented to the DPP if it was one injured party, but more have come forward”.

“I would imagine it will take a small bit of time for the DPP to decide what charges to bring against him, if any,” she said.

The court previously heard how, on February 13, 2023, at an address on Sarsfield Square, Athlone, it is alleged that Mr Banda dishonestly by deception induced a woman to transfer €1,000 to his account in the belief she was giving him money to buy a white Volkswagen Polo car.

Two identical charges of €1,000 transfers arose on February 17 and March 31, 2023, with the woman again believing she was transferring the money to help the accused purchase a car.

A further charge on March 31, 2023 at Athlone Credit Union, alleges that Mr Banda induced the same woman to transfer €14,000 from her Credit Union account to his AIB account, with the reference “car balance”, and made her believe it was for his truck business in Malawi and that she would be repaid.

Judge Owens granted Mr Banda bail on January 14, “but with strict conditions”.

Those conditions included an own bond of €5,000 with Mr Banda ordered to lodge €2,500 of that. An independent surety of €10,000 was also directed, to be approved by Gardaí. €5,000 of that will need to be lodged before Mr Banda is released.

Judge Owens further remanded him in custody, with consent to bail, to April 22.

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