Hlokomelo Mabogale
Three men have been convicted by the Mokopane Regional Court in Limpopo for attempting to defraud Absa bank of more than R500 million. Goci Nwabisa (31), Tshepo Daniel Sehlapelo (29) and Lifty Nkabe Makalela (43) were found guilty on Thursday.
In a statement, the provincial Hawks spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said “Nwabisa, Sehlapelo and Aaron Madanda (42) approached Absa bank consultant in Burgersfort purporting to be the signatories of Royal Bafokeng Trust fund. They were scheming to open a separate bank account, using fraudulent identity documents to transfer funds from the Royal Bafokeng Trust Fund into new account.”
However, their plot was fruitless as suspension kicked in to the employee at the bank that something was amiss, “The bank consultant reported the matter to the authorities and Nwabisa, Sehlapelo and Madanda were arrested on the spot.”
Maluleke said that due to the automatic withdrawal of their bail when they were found guilty, the court has remanded them in police custody until 20 August 2020 for another bail extension application.
The sentence hearing will be heard on 28 August 2020 whilst Madanda’s trial on the same matter will commence on 18 August 2020,” Maluleke concluded.
