A bank service consultant and his accomplice have been sentenced to an effective 15 years’ imprisonment for siphoning money from a dead man’s account.
Bantu Ntutwana, 36, and Lunga Sinyaza, 45, were convicted in the Gqeberha regional court on charges of fraud and in terms of the Prevention of the Organised Crime Act.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the conviction stemmed from the siphoning of funds by fraudulently manipulating the bank details of the elderly deceased victim.
Ntutwana was, at the time, employed as a multiskilled service consultant at the First National Bank Newton Park Branch.
FNB client Septimus Hauptfleisch died on November 1 2015 at the age of 88. His wife, Alette, was appointed executor of his estate.
However, Ntutwana accessed Hauptfleisch’s two accounts without authorisation between February 29 2016 and March 2 2016.
Despite an Online Fingerprint Verification indicating Hauptfleisch’s death, Ntutwana manually verified the identity of an unknown person as Hauptfleisch.
He then changed the contact details, issued a replacement card, increased daily withdrawal limits, requested an early redemption, and then transferred R480,714.38 to one of the two accounts which belonged to the deceased.
Ntutwana further added a payment link to Sinyaza’s account, enabling electronic transfers.
Within days, R15,000 was withdrawn from Sinyaza’s account.
Though the two pleaded not guilty, senior state advocate Ulrike de Klerk led the evidence of an FNB forensic investigator who detailed how Ntutwana had manipulated the banking systems to transfer funds to Sinyaza’s account.
Additionally, the state presented Sinyaza’s warning statement and admissions made by both accused, which reduced the number of disputed issues in the case.
Following the sentencing, Ntutwana applied for leave to appeal against his conviction and was granted bail pending the appeal.
Sinyanza’s application for leave to appeal against both conviction and sentence was refused, and bail pending petition to the high court was denied.
Welcoming the sentence, Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Barry Madolo praised the prosecutor and the investigating team for their meticulous collection and presentation of evidence.
“This verdict demonstrates our commitment to protecting the vulnerable banking clients and upholding the integrity of our financial institutions.
“It serves as a testament to the power of effective teamwork and our collective pursuit of accountability,” Madolo said.
He also emphasised that the NPA would prioritise prosecuting crimes that undermined the safety of South Africans and their socioeconomic wellbeing.
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