Pretoria – Two more suspects linked with the Absa fraud case appeared at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering relating to the allegedly stolen R103 million from Absa
Their arrest emanates from the bank’s missing millions allegedly swindled by the late Xolela Masebeni, who was, at the time, Absa’s Specialist Engineer at a Sandton branch between September and December last year.
The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Joburg together with the Durban and Pinetown Tactical Response Team successfully traced and arrested the Melmoth based traditional healer, Khumbulani Elvis Ntombela, 43, also known as “Mabalengwe”.
The late Masebeni’s former partner, Nonelwa Nondlazi, 29, handed herself in to authorities accompanied by her legal representative.
The police subsequently charged both Ntombela and Nondlazi with fraud, theft and money laundering after they were positively linked through bank transactions where they allegedly benefited from Absa’s stolen millions.
“It was reported that Masebeni, who was shot and killed in February at his home in Ezibeleni in KwaZulu-Natal province, fraudulently transferred approximately R103m into different bank accounts for the stated period,” said Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu.
Mulamu said after court proceeding on Thursday, the police made more arrests when they apprehended a 24-year-old female and partner of the third accused, Gershom Matomane, 29, who was a director of the Western Cape based company, Maduna Gubevu Projects Trading (PTY) Ltd.
Matomane was arrested in January together with the second accused, Athembile Mpani, 21, Masebeni’s other partner.
Matomane has been released on R30 000 bail, while Mpani was released on R50 000 bail.
They are expected back in court on June 30.
Meanwhile, the court remanded Ntombela and Nondlazi in custody and the case was postponed until May 18 for a formal bail application.
The 24-year-old suspect is expected to appear in the same court on Friday.
Mulamu said investigations are still on going and more arrests could not be ruled out.
IOL