A man who duped Teba Bank out of R130 000 in 1994 was found guilty 23 years later and sentenced to seven years in jail by the Engcobo Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
The money came out of a compensation fund left in a will by mine worker Khathile Manitshana, 25, who was killed when a mine shaft collapsed in November 1994.
The money was meant to go to the mother of his two children, then aged one and three.
The court heard that Khatile’s brother, Machasela, now 55, instructed a woman relative to go to the bank to pretend to be the mother of the children.
Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni said the unsuspecting bank duly paid the money. “After the bank paid the amount, she handed it over to Manitshana as instructed.”
The woman, who Feni would not name, was released after she turned state witness and testified against Manitshana, said Feni.
Manitshana was arrested by the serious commercial crime wing of the Hawks in October 2010.
This is after the Rand Mutual Assurance Group, owners of Teba, opened a case of fraud in February 2009 against the man.
Feni said the court also ordered Manitshana to pay back the R130098,22 to RMB.
The mother of the children died in August 2003 leaving the children orphaned.
The Eastern Cape provincial head for the directorate for priority crime investigation, Major-General Nyameko Nogwanya, commended the investigating officers for a successful conviction.
lIn a separate incident the Hawks have uncovered a shocking sim card swap scam involving cellular mobile shops and fraudsters stealing money from people’s bank accounts using cellphone banking.
This is after a 26-year-old East London man was was arrested on Monday for allegedly stealing R400000 from two accounts belonging to two elderly people from Durban and Cape Town.
Luvuyo Sivuyile Madikizela appeared before the East London Magistrate’s Court this week and was granted R1000 bail. He will appear in the same court on June 2.
Hawks spokeswoman Feni said Madikizela allegedly visited an unnamed East London mobile shop with two SIM cards and changed the cellphone numbers to use the victims’ cell numbers.
With the help of an expert he allegedly managed to obtain personal details of the victims and performed cellphone banking transactions.
“It is alleged that after the sim swap was conducted, Madikizela transferred into approximately eight different accounts, just under R100000 from an account belonging to a 73-year-old man from Durban and approximately R380000 from an account of a 72-year-old woman from Cape Town.”
Feni said the alleged victims opened cases after they realised that money had been taken from their accounts.
Feni said Madikizela was arrested following a partnership between the Hawks and the forensic investigator of the network service provider. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
Man jailed 23 years after theft
The money came out of a compensation fund left in a will by mine worker Khathile Manitshana, 25, who was killed when a mine shaft collapsed in November 1994.
The money was meant to go to the mother of his two children, then aged one and three.
The court heard that Khatile’s brother, Machasela, now 55, instructed a woman relative to go to the bank to pretend to be the mother of the children.
Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni said the unsuspecting bank duly paid the money. “After the bank paid the amount, she handed it over to Manitshana as instructed.”
The woman, who Feni would not name, was released after she turned state witness and testified against Manitshana, said Feni.
Manitshana was arrested by the serious commercial crime wing of the Hawks in October 2010.
This is after the Rand Mutual Assurance Group, owners of Teba, opened a case of fraud in February 2009 against the man.
Feni said the court also ordered Manitshana to pay back the R130098,22 to RMB.
The mother of the children died in August 2003 leaving the children orphaned.
The Eastern Cape provincial head for the directorate for priority crime investigation, Major-General Nyameko Nogwanya, commended the investigating officers for a successful conviction.
lIn a separate incident the Hawks have uncovered a shocking sim card swap scam involving cellular mobile shops and fraudsters stealing money from people’s bank accounts using cellphone banking.
This is after a 26-year-old East London man was was arrested on Monday for allegedly stealing R400000 from two accounts belonging to two elderly people from Durban and Cape Town.
Luvuyo Sivuyile Madikizela appeared before the East London Magistrate’s Court this week and was granted R1000 bail. He will appear in the same court on June 2.
Hawks spokeswoman Feni said Madikizela allegedly visited an unnamed East London mobile shop with two SIM cards and changed the cellphone numbers to use the victims’ cell numbers.
With the help of an expert he allegedly managed to obtain personal details of the victims and performed cellphone banking transactions.
“It is alleged that after the sim swap was conducted, Madikizela transferred into approximately eight different accounts, just under R100000 from an account belonging to a 73-year-old man from Durban and approximately R380000 from an account of a 72-year-old woman from Cape Town.”
Feni said the alleged victims opened cases after they realised that money had been taken from their accounts.
Feni said Madikizela was arrested following a partnership between the Hawks and the forensic investigator of the network service provider. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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