Hopewell Mpanduli Daguma(32) appeared before the Bethlehem Regional Court on Thursday, where he was found guilty for fraud.
The court additionally convicted him for money laundering, assisting another person to benefit from proceeds of unlawful activities and defeating the administration of justice
A Standard bank forensic investigator discovered that one of its employees Thandeka Mlangeni(32) who was based at one of the bank’s Harrismith branches issued a fraudulent bank card using another client’s details.R1 Million was consequently transferred to a bank account belonging to Daguma
A further R500 000 was also withdrawn from the same victim’s account.
A case was opened and handed over to the Hawk’s Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Bethlehem. This resulted in Daguma and Mlangeni being arrested on Thursday,20 August 2020.They appeared in court and were later released on a R5000 bail each.
After Daguma was released on bail he went and sold the vehicle that he had bought with the stolen money for an amount of R125 000.He was rearrested and his bail was revoked.
The court has sentenced Daguma to 10 years imprisonment of which 4 years is suspended. He is set to serve 6 years direct imprisonment.Meanwhile,Mlangeni’s trial is yet to conclude.