ADDITIONAL BANK ACCOUNT TAKE-OVER ARRESTED IN GAUTENG
LIMPOPO – Additional bank account take-over suspect(65) was arrested by Polokwane based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation at Vrededorp outside Johannesburg in Gauteng Province on 18 January 2024.
During May 2023 the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation received intelligence about a sophisticated fraud syndicate that was planning to unlawfully take over the bank account belonging to foreign national Nedbank client who is not residing in the country (South Africa).
Through the preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the accused would identify a Nedbank account with a lot of money but dormant and forge the documents of the lawful owner in order to get access to the account.
Further investigations revealed that the suspects would search for a person who looks exactly like the one in the picture of the original passport so that they can go to the bank and activate the account and transfer the money to their own bank account(s).
Three accused, Nkululeko Africa Ngwenya (39), Aubrey Phutuka Matsobane (42) and Clement Khutso Ngwatwane (47) have been arrested by the Hawks in Polokwane on 17 May 2023 after they were issued with a new bank card by the bank. The accused were caught before they could steal the money from the bank’s client, as a result the bank suffered a potential loss of R2.6 million.
The investigations revealed that the fourth suspect is outstanding. The warrant to arrest him was applied and authorised. He was traced until he was arrested last night, 18 January 2024.
He is expected to appear before Polokwane Magistrates’ Court today, 19 January 2024 to face charges of fraud.
The Acting Provincial Head of the Hawks in Limpopo, Brigadier Alexander has praised the team for their efforts in insuring that the remaining suspect is arrested.
