Rustenburg – A scrap metal dealer was shocked to see a bank balance slip of R1.6 million inside a bakkie forwarded to him as a surety against a R20 000 loan, the North West High Court heard on Tuesday.
Lucky Diale told the court a Ford Ranger bakkie was put forward to him as a surety by a couple he met through his employee.
“My employee told me the couple needed money, they reside in Boitekong. I met with them and they needed R20,000 I agreed to give them the money provided they pay me back R35 000.”
He was testifying in the trial against Moses Dipone, accused of murder and robbery.
The State alleged that Dipone killed Dirk Coetzee between December 20, 2014 and January 6, 2015 and robbed him of his Ford Ranger bakkie, cellphones and bank cards in Marikana near Rustenburg.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Coetzee was reported missing in on January 6, 2015 after he failed to report for work and had not been in contact with his daughter since December 13, 2014. He is presumed dead although his body has not been found.
He was last seen on December 13, 2014 in Bothaville.
Diale told the court he was shocked to see that the couple withdrew R2000 and had a balance of R1.6 million available in the bank account.
“I was also surprised that they could forward a Ford Ranger as a security for a mere R20 000 loan. How can you made a loan when you have R1.6 million. I accepted the bakkie because it will benefit my business.”
He said after seeing the bank slip, he moved the bakkie from his business premise to his house suspecting that the couple could come and take the bakkie and claim it from him. He only had one key to the bakkie.
He did not have contact with the couple since he gave them R20 000. He did not have their address and he did not sign a contract with them, except that they would pay him back R35 000.
In February 2015 the police came to his house regarding the bakkie and he said he was told it was stolen.
The court further heard that R100 000 was withdrawn from Coetzee’s bank account.
Fraud manager at First National Bank (FNB) Stefanus Boshoff told the court the bank detected suspicious transactions from Coetzee’s banking activities and blocked his account.
An amount of R100 000 was successfully transferred from his cheque account to a Mr Dlamini’s account in Bethlehem, other transactions into his business account were reversed by the bank.
The transaction was done through internet banking which was activated on December 30, 2014, he said.
Another witness Jack Bergoor, testified how Coetzee’s bank card, identity document and cellphone were used to do the transaction.
He said he met Dipone whom he knew as David, and other woman named Berlinda through his cousin.
The two wanted to be assisted to retrieve the personal identity number (pin) of the bank card, claiming that Coetzee was Berlinda’s boyfriend, he was overseas and she had forgotten the pin. Bergoor introduced them to another man known as Zamile who had contacts to help retrieve the pin.
They handed over the bank card, identity document and cellphone to Zamile. He left with Zamile to Klerksdorp and then went to Southgate south of Johannesburg where Zamile was to meet his contact.
Two bank employees allegedly helped Zamile to access the money and R100 000 was transferred to Peter Dlamini’s account.
Zamile and Dlamini fought after cheques Dlamini made to pay Zamile and two bank employees bounced. Each were to be paid R30 000 the others were to received their share later on.
Bergoor was expected to appear in the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on fraud charges relating to Dirk Coetzee’s bank account. He is charged alongside Peter Dlamini and Zamile Nchangane.
The trial against Dipone continues on Wednesday. He was remanded in custody.
African News Agency