The Hawks’ Priority Crime Specialised Investigation unit is turning every stone in the R26 million fraud case affecting Standard Bank in Bloemfontein.
The elite crime fighting agency and the National Prosecution Authority’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in the Free State have secured another preservation order against one of the nine suspects linked to the bank fraud case.
The preservations are aimed at recouping millions the bank has lost fraudulently.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the Free State High Court had granted the preservation order on Thursday (02/03).
The order to preserve more than R700 000 plus a Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 Sport 4Matic is against Thoriso Marvin Mosikili.
The first order granted in November last year was against Kelebogile Tlhatlosi and Brian Odora, and it pertains to more than R7 million lost in total.
Singo said the law enforcement agencies were pursuing more preservation orders against other suspects as part of the intensive ongoing investigation to bring to book all suspects connected to this instance of bank fraud.
According to Singo, the monies and the vehicle already attached were believed to pertain to the R26 million the suspects had allegedly siphoned from the bank.
He said more arrests were imminent.
Singo said the Hawks’ investigation and the bank’s forensics had revealed that two former employees of the bank, Tlhatlosi and Gotshawanetse Mmoniemang Adora, had allegedly accessed the accounts of three clients.
“Several transfers were then made from the victims’ accounts without their knowledge during November and December 2021,” said Singo.
The other five suspects in the case are Ellen Mahlulo, Stembiso Gerald Hleza, Boleba Albinis Lesale, Michael Sayers and Ashley Michael Youngman.
The NPA has since confirmed that Youngman, an attorney by profession, is facing charges of theft, money laundering (contravention of Section 5 of the Prevention of the Organised Crime Act), possession of illicit proceeds (contravention of Section 6 of Prevention of the Organised Crime Act), and failure to declare certain transactions to the Financial Intelligence Centre.
Youngman and Sayers handed themselves over to the Hawks in Bloemfontein earlier this year, while the other suspects had been arrested last year.
All nine suspects are currently out on bail, ranging from R8 000 to R10 000.
A pre-trial against the first seven suspects was heard during December last year.
The state then transferred the matter to the Free State High Court, where all nine suspects are expected to appear on 22 March.
