Durban - Police are searching for three suspects after CCTV footage from a Durban bank showed one of them - purporting to be an elderly client murdered days earlier - withdrawing R11 000 from the dead woman’s savings.
The decomposed body of 73-year-old Agnes Khonzaphi Maseko, was found covered with leaves under a bridge near Paulpietersburg, 22 days after she was reported missing. It was discovered by grass cutters a few kilometres from Maseko’s home.
Maseko’s grandson and family spokesman, Khulekani Zwane, said his grandmother would make the monthly 20km trip into Paulpietersburg from her home in Dumbe, near the border of Mpumalanga Province, to withdraw money.
“She lived with my grandfather and took care of my uncle’s children. She was the breadwinner,” he explained.
“On June 14, she left home as usual for town but never returned. At 6pm, we became worried and waited at a nearby shop for her. We borrowed a car and went into town to look for her.
“We had gone to the police station in Paulpietersburg and they told us to return the next day to open a missing person’s case. We also searched hospitals.”
Zwane said they searched for his grandmother the next day and went to Absa Bank in Paulpietersburg where they found out she had withdrawn R3 000.
Her body was was found on July 5 with stab wounds.
“The police had called us to identify the body. We found our grandmother lying on the ground and covered with leaves. Despite being missing for such a long time, we always hoped she would come back alive. She was a strong woman and always a person we could talk to.”
Police spokesman, Colonel Vincent Mdunge, said on the day Maseko disappeared, a man and woman had tried unsuccessful to withdraw money from her savings account at an FNB ATM in Paulpietersburg.
Zwane said Maseko’s family had looked at the FNB CCTV footage but were unable to identify them.
On June 19, a couple and an older woman were captured on a CCTV camera walking into Absa Bank at Bridge City Mall in KwaMashu. Police suspect the couple learnt about Maseko’s investment account with Absa, which required the account holder to come into the bank to withdraw funds.
CCTV footage shows the older woman standing in a queue to see a consultant. She produces an identity document with a bank slip and the consultant calls up details on her computer. The older woman is handed back her ID and she signs the bank slip. She is later shown leaving the bank, followed closely by the man and then the woman.
Zwane said the family came to Durban and looked at the Absa footage and recognised the couple from the earlier FNB footage.
“The police told us that R11 000 was withdrawn. We were shocked. No one knew how much money my grandmother had saved in her account,” he said.
“The Absa teller said the older woman answered all the questions she was asked correctly. My grandmother’s ID number was used. They just replaced her photo.”
An Absa spokesman said they could not comment on the case because of the police investigation, but spoke generally about bank protocol when such incidents occur. He said the bank would conduct an internal investigation and the employee, if at fault, would be disciplined or dismissed.
Mdunge said the police did not know the names or ages of the three suspects and appealed to the public for help.
Anyone with information can contact investigating officers Captain Sikhakhane at 079 696 3546 or Captain Magubane at 082 567 4144.
Daily News