Prison warder attached to Pollsmoor prison held in connection with R103m Absa fraud case
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The Hawks have arrested a prison warder in connection with theft of over R100 million from Absa. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA) Archives
Rustenburg – A prison warder has been arrested in connection with the theft of over R100 million from Absa.
Ayanda Windvoël was arrested on Monday by the Hawks based in Johannesburg after suspicions rose when R250 000 was transferred into his bank account.
"The team recently traced Windvoël, who is attached to Pollsmoor Correctional Facility, after a transaction of R250 000 transferred into his Capitec bank account was flagged. The millions of rands were siphoned from the bank from 22 September to 31 December 2021," said Hawks spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha.
Xolela Masebeni, IT engineer at Absa, who is now dead, was allegedly instrumental in siphoning funds from the bank.
He was arrested with his wife, Athembile Mpani, and her mother. The latest arrest brings the total number of people charged in this case to over 15.
Masebeni was shot and killed in February 2022, outside his home at Ezibeleni in the Eastern Cape.
He worked at the Absa offices in Sandton and allegedly transferred R103m from the bank into six different bank accounts between September and December 2021.
Charges against him were withdrawn after his death certificate was presented in court.
He was facing charges of theft, fraud and contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
Windvoël appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Tuesday and the case was rolled over to yesterday (Wednesday) for a bail application.
The trial in the main case was scheduled to commence on March 22.
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