The Hawks’ ongoing investigation into the defrauding of three Standard Bank clients has yielded three more arrests, increasing the number of suspects to seven.
According to the elite crime fighting unit, the victims were swindled out of more than R26 million. The fraud was committed in 2021, during November and December.
The seven suspects are: Gerald Hleza (32), Boleba Lesale (35), Thoriso Mosikili (35), Kelebogile Thlathlosi (27), Brian Odora (36), Monienemang Odora (37) and Ellen Muhlalo (46).
They are set to stand trial in the Free State High Court on 21 March. The pretrial took place on 14 December.
The Hawks, as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), have since secured a preservation order for more than R7 million. The order was granted by the Free State High Court in November last year, and this amount is part of the R26 million reportedly lost by the victims.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the ongoing investigation was aimed towards possibly bringing to book more suspects involved in the case and also securing more preservation orders.
Tlhatlosi and her co-accused, Mmoniemang Adora, were both working for Standard Bank at the point in time when the fraud was committed.
The suspects are out on bail ranging from R800 to R10 000.
In another fraud case involving a former employee of the bank in question, investigation has culminated in one of two accused’s conviction and harsh sentencing, while the other’s trial is underway.
Thandeka Mlangeni (34) used a fraudulent bank card to transfer R1 million into a fraudulent account of her boyfriend, Hopewell Mpanduli Daguma (34). Singo said a further R500 000 was withdrawn from the victim’s account.
While Mlangeni was found guilty of fraud and money laundering in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca), as well as contravention of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (Ecta), and is awaiting sentencing on 5 May, Daguma is already serving a ten-year sentence after being convicted in 2021.
The pair was arrested after a forensic investigator at the bank discovered that Mlangeni issued a fraudulent bank card using another client’s details.
