Wife joins Absa R103m theft suspect in the dock

27 January 2022 - 12:57
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Xolela Masebeni, a specialist engineer at Absa who is alleged to have fraudulently transferred R103m into six accounts on various occasions, and his wife Athembile Mpani, appeared before the Palm Ridge court on Thursday.
Xolela Masebeni, a specialist engineer at Absa who is alleged to have fraudulently transferred R103m into six accounts on various occasions, and his wife Athembile Mpani, appeared before the Palm Ridge court on Thursday.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi/Sunday Times

Absa specialist engineer Xolela Masebeni, who allegedly fraudulently transferred R103m into six different bank accounts over four months, will apply for bail on Monday — along with his wife.

Masebeni, 30, who worked in Sandton, appeared at the Palm Ridge commercial crimes court on Thursday along with his wife Athembile Mpani, 21.

According to the state, the wife is linked to the case for allegedly having received proceeds of crime.

It is the state's case that Masebeni allegedly transferred the money between September and December 2021. Hawks spokesperson Capt Ndivhuwo Mulamu said previously that the matter was reported by the bank to the authorities after an internal investigation.

On Thursday the court heard that Masebeni was arrested in Queenstown on Wednesday last week and had been held at the Sandton police station for seven days.

Mpani was arrested on Wednesday after a warrant was issued.

Advocate Sharon Masedi, for the state, asked that the husband and wife be joined in the same case. The defence did not object.

They are facing theft and money laundering charges.

Masedi said she would prepare a provisional charge sheet at the weekend to present at their next appearance.

She also indicated that the state would be adding more charges in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).

Their case was postponed to Monday when the couple are due to make their applications for bail.

TimesLIVE


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