FREE STATE – Lindiwe Sibongile Ntshingila (33) appeared before the Bethlehem Regional Court on Wednesday, 25 October 2023 where she pleaded guilty for fraud and sentenced to six years direct imprisonment wholly suspended for five years on condition that she is not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension.
During January 2018, Ntshingila and her co-accused Simphiwe Makhathini (42) approached Capitec bank and applied for a new account and a personal loan. The loan to the amount of R134 937.10 was then approved by the bank. A preliminary investigation conducted by Capitec bank uncovered that the payslip and Standard bank account statement that was submitted by the accused were fraudulent. Further investigation revealed that the employment of the accused which was confirmed by their co-accused Buhlebuyeza Mabaso (34) was fraudulent. The matter was then reported to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team based in Bethlehem for further investigation. Ntshingila, Makhathini and Mabaso were arrested on 14 June 2021.
Meanwhile the case against Makhathini and Mabaso, who did not plead guilty, is ongoing and they are expected to appear before the Harrismith Regional Court on Friday, 27 October 2023.
Source: saps.gov.za