PRETORIA – The Provincial Head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape, Major General Obed Ngwenya welcomed the conviction handed down to Xolile Tom (42), Khanyisa Fumbe (40) and Andiswa Madolwana (36), by the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Gqeberha on charges of theft and money laundering on Thursday, 21 April 2022.
The trio pleaded guilty on the charges of theft and money laundering, following the conviction and sentence of the main convict, Siphokazi Katyu (31) a former bank customer service clerk who was sentenced to ten years imprisonment on 23 September 2020.
Katyu fraudulently altered the banking details of a Johannesburg based unsuspecting bank client in November 2015 and she redirected funds surpassing R1,164 000 into a fraudulently issued debit card linked to a flexi save, 32 day notice and money market accounts. The money was later shared and transferred to other several suspects without the knowledge and permission of the victim.
The bank reported the matter to the authorities which culminated in the arrest of eight suspects on the 12 February 2016. The case against four remaining suspects continues on trial today, 22 April 2022.
Meanwhile the case against the newly convicted trio was postponed to the 15 May 2022 for sentencing.
Source: South African Police Service