Bantu Ntutwana, 36, and Lunga Sinyaza, 45, have been sentenced to 15 years in prison for fraud and five years for organised crime.
The Gqeberha regional court handed down the sentences recently.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) claims that Ntutwana, a multi-skilled service consultant at the FNB Newtown Park branch, was found guilty because she had manipulated a deceased person’s bank details with false information in order to extract money.
In November 2015, Septimus Hauptfleisch, an 88-year-old client of FNB, passed away and his wife, Alette, was appointed executor of his estate.
However, between February 29 and March 2, 2016, Ntutwana gained unauthorised access to Hauptfleisch’s two accounts.
“Despite an online fingerprint verification indicating Hauptfleisch’s death, Ntutwana manually verified the identity of an unknown person as Hauptfleisch,” according to Luxolo Tyali, the spokesperson for the NPA.
Not guilty pleas
Ntutwana also requested an early redemption, updated daily limits, provided a replacement card, modified contact information, and moved R480 714.38 to one of the deceased’s two accounts.
After that, he enabled electronic transfer by adding a payment link to Sinyaza’s account. A few days later, R15,000 was taken out of Sinyaza’s account.
Though both men entered not guilty pleas, senior state advocate Ulrike de Klerk led the FNB forensic investigator’s evidence, explaining in great detail how Ntutwana used financial system manipulation to move money into Sinyaza’s account.
The number of contested issues in the case was lowered when the Hawks introduced Sinyaza’s warning statement and the admissions made by both accused in court.
Ntutwana was given bail pending his appeal after he submitted an application to challenge the conviction after receiving his sentence.
Sinyanza’s petition to set aside bail was turned down, and he was not allowed to appeal the conviction and sentence.
Safeguarding vulnerable clients
According to Barry Madolo, the director of public prosecutions for the Eastern Cape, the verdict shows the prosecution’s dedication to safeguarding the weaker banking clients and maintaining the integrity of financial institutions.
“It serves as a testament to the power of effective teamwork and our collective pursuit of accountability,” said Madolo.
“The NPA will prioritise prosecuting crimes that undermine South Africans’ safety and socio-economic wellbeing.”
