Bay woman, husband in court for allegedly defrauding bank client

The victims of Mihlali Ngxinga were between the ages of seven and 12
BEHIND BARS: The victims of Mihlali Ngxinga were between the ages of seven and 12
Image: SUPPLIED

A 40-year-old woman appeared in the magistrate’s court in Gqeberha on Tuesday for allegedly defrauding a Nedbank client out of R500,000.

Nokwanda Margaret Matebese had earlier on Tuesday been arrested by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime In­vestigation team.

She faces charges of fraud and money lau­ndering.

It is alleged Matebese, an employee at the bank at the time, fraudulently transferred R500,000 from a client’s account and then later deposited some of the cash into a business account linked to her 44-year-old husband, Ntsikelelo, on December 2 2020.

Another former bank employee, Siyamthanda Nxwusana, 32, Ntsikelelo, and businessmen Gcinithemba Msana, 37, and Abongile Mhlomi, 27, were also arrested in connection with the offence.

They made their first court appearance on Monday.

Hawks spokesperson Yolisa Mgolodela said: “An amount of R200,000 [of the alleged stolen cash] was transferred into the Nedbank account of Ntsikelelo Matebese Funerals.

“The accused and her husband are furt­her alleged to have withdrawn R160,000 of this money on December 3 2020.

“On realising the sus­picious transaction, the bank immediately froze the account of Ntsikelelo Matebese Funerals and managed to reco­ver R40,000.”

It is believed that some of the money was then also deposited into bank accounts linked to Msana and Mhlomi.

The accused were each released on bail of R5,000 and are expected back in court on Thursday for their matters to be joined.

HeraldLIVE

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