A lawyer representing one of the accused in a R103-million Absa fraud case
A lawyer representing one of the accused in a R103-million Absa fraud case was arrested in the Eastern Cape on Thursday.
News24 reported that the lawyer cannot be named until he appears in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Palm Ridge on Friday on money laundering and theft charges.
Allegations are that he received R2 million of the R103 million.
The alleged mastermind behind the fraud, Absa IT specialist engineer Xolela Masebeni, has since been killed.
It is alleged that Masebeni, who worked at Absa’s offices in Sandton, accessed a Meridian system to transfer funds to several people.
The recipients allegedly included his wife, Athembile Mpani; her mother, Nolitha Constance Mpani; his sangoma, Khumbulani Elvis Ntombela; a friend, Gershom Matomane; Matomane’s lover, Penelope Thandiwe Mphahlele; Matomane’s company, Maduna Gebevu Trading Services; his ex-lover Nonelwa Nondlazi; Matomane’s friend Simphiwe Magobiyane; Sicelo Cedric Ndebele; Mduduzi Sichiwe; Sicelimpilo Simphiwe Msomi and his father, Mduduzi Sichiwe Msomi; as well as Malusi Shepherd Mtyhalela and his wife Belinda Bongiwe Mtyhalela between 22 September 2021 and 31 December 2021.
It is alleged that they used the money to buy luxury clothing and vehicles and to build or renovate their homes.
They are being represented by various lawyers and all of them are out on bail ranging from R1 000 to R50 000.
Masebeni was out on R50 000 bail when he was shot dead in February 2022 outside his home in the Eastern Cape.
Authorities have recovered R66 million.
