Man convicted for swindling R1.5m from banking institution

Hopewell Mpanduli Daguma was convicted of fraud, money laundering and defeating the administration of justice.

Hopewell Mpanduli Daguma was convicted of fraud, money laundering and defeating the administration of justice.

Published Apr 15, 2021

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DURBAN - A 32-year-old man has been found guilty of defrauding a major banking institution of R1.5million. Hopewell Mpanduli Daguma was convicted in the Bethlehem Regional Court.

Hawks spokesperson, Captain Christopher Singo, said Daguma was additionally convicted him for money laundering, assisting another person to benefit from proceeds of unlawful activities and defeating the administration of justice

Singo said 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.

"R1m 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 A further R500 000 was also withdrawn from the same victim’s account.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 in August last year.They appeared in court and were later released on a R5000 bail each," Singo said.

He said 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"He was rearrested and his bail was revoked.The court has sentenced Daguma to 10 years imprisonment of which four years is suspended. He is set to serve six years direct imprisonment. Meanwhile, Mlangeni’s trial is yet to conclude," Singo said.

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