Bank loan fraud accused found guilty

Fraud accused Heinrich Presensie, who preyed on desperate Joubertina residents by convincing them to take out bank loans, was found guilty in the Gqeberha commercial crimes court on Wednesday.

Presensie, 36, was convicted on charges of fraud and money laundering.

He pleaded guilty to the charges, which include theft of more than R500,000.

Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said it was alleged that between August 2016 and February 2017, Capitec bank employee Zakiya Mahomed, 35, of Graaff-Reinet, together with Presensie and Ashley le Roux, 30, orchestrated 13 fraudulent loans.

Mgolodela said financial prejudice of more than R1.5m had affected Capitec Bank in Graaff-Reinet.

She said Mahomed had pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced during the early stages of the trial.

“The modus operandi was that Heinrich and Ashley would transport desperate clients from Joubertina to come and apply for loans in the bank.

“The two would further assist with manufacturing false documentation.

“Huge loans were processed and approved for undeserving clients,” Mgolodela said.

The pair received most of the loan money and the clients received a small amount, she said.

Mgolodela said most of the clients, unaware of the orchestration, were under the impression everything was legitimate.

The three were arrested in February 2019 and released on bail of R1,000 each.

Presensie will be sentenced on August 3 while Le Roux’s trial was postponed to June 29.

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