There is no way theft accused Sibongile Mani, 29, would not have known that the R14m NSFAS money paid into her account was an error.
“Students know what is due to them beforehand. There are no surprises,” said Intellimali director Roy Jackson in his evidence at a theft trial of Walter Sisulu University student, and WSU Pasma chair and arts and culture SRC member.
She immediately embarked on a spending spree and blew R880,000 in 73 days.
Court documents show that, less than two hours after the money was transferred into her account, Mani blew R20,000.
Jackson said: “Students know what is due to them. Surely when someone expecting R1,400 and is credited with R14m, there is no way they cannot pick up that it is a mistake.”
Jackson also told magistrate Twanett Olivier that he suspected the owner of a store in Fleet Street, East London of colluding by selling Mani over R286,108.17 worth of prohibited items.
He claimed the business owner had since fled the province.
Jackson, from Cape Town, said: “Soon after we learnt about the incident in August 2017, we launched a preliminary investigation and arranged a meeting with this merchant because when we looked at the records from the system, Miss Mani spent a huge chunk at the store.”
Jackson said he had, however, “found the doors of the store shut, and when we asked neighbouring shops where the store owner was, we were told that he fled to Pretoria”.
Jackson said Mani spent the R286,108 on alcohol, cigarettes, electrical appliances, bedding, airtime, gift cards, toys and microwaves.”
He said that shops were identified by WSU and approved by Intellimali to sell to students.
He said the store knew the rules on what goods could be sold to students.
The R14m appeared in her account at 1.09pm on June 1 2017. At 2.55pm that day, Mani started spending it.
Between June 1 and August 14 2017, when the error was noticed, Mani had spent R818,469 at 48 merchants in the Eastern Cape, Johannesburg and Centurion.
The trial was postponed to November 11.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.