FNB E2.8M FRAUD SUSPECT SURRENDERS TO POLICE

Thulani Nkambule (30), who was based in the Matsapha branch of FNB, surrendered to the police yesterday at around noon, accompanied by his attorney. (Courtesy Pic)

MANZINI - After being on the run for slightly over a year, the First National Bank (FNB) employee who allegedly stole E2.8 million belonging to the institution has surrendered himself.

The suspect, Thulani Nkambule (30), who was based at the Matsapha branch of the bank, surrendered himself to the police yesterday at around noon, accompanied by his attorney, whose law firm is based in Mbabane.

The two are said to have arrived at the Police Regional Headquarters in a BMW sedan and went into the Fraud Department.
Information gathered is that the suspect, who allegedly committed the fraud offence in December 2018, returned to the country recently after spending time in Mozambique, Matola.

Well-placed sources revealed that he allegedly informed officers that he had decided to surrender himself to the police after a hard life in that country, where he ended up cashless.

Poverty

“He stayed in expensive hotels and restaurants, where he was with friends when he first arrived in Mozambique. As time went on, he became broke as most of the money he had allegedly stolen had been frozen by FNB. He got broke and basically survived months of poverty until he made a decision to return to the country, where his family is and handed himself over to the police,” the source alleged.

It was further gathered that the suspect was once arrested while in Mozambique and detained after he was nabbed while driving a vehicle without valid documentation.

His attorney, who refused to have his name published, said Nkambule contacted him on his cellphone last week Friday where he revealed his side of the story and requested that he handed him over to the police.

“Unfortunately, I was not available on the day, however, his intention was to go and hand himself over to the police on the same day. We made a decision to do it today (yesterday) and after hours of questioning and statements, he was booked and confined to holding cells,” the lawyer said.

Finished

Allegations are that Nkambule informed a team of police officers who were questioning him yesterday that he did not have a lot of money while in Mozambique, but about E400 000, which immediately got finished as he lived a flashy life.

Meanwhile, Nkambule’s friend, Thembela Mamba (26) of Kwaluseni, who is also alleged to have taken part in the commission of the same offence, surrendered on January 09, 2019 at the Regional Headquarters, Fraud Department.
During a four-hour confession before then Senior Magistrate Phathaphatha Mdluli, Mamba said he returned to Eswatini after he had discovered that life in Mozambique was not at all rosy.

The accused told the court that he only received a portion of the E2.8 million allegedly stolen by Nkambule, which was E1 173 000.
The accused is said to have given details on the matter, beginning from when the suspect (Nkambule) allegedly started contacting him to reveal that he was going to commit the theft offence at the bank.

“He called me before committing the offence and said ufikelwa busathane, and when I asked him what he wanted to do, he told me and requested that I furnish him with my banking details.
“On the following day, he called me once again and told me he would deposit some money into my account in smaller amounts of about E70 000 and slightly above.

“The amount totalled E1 173 000 and from there, we were ready to move to another destination. Since my bank limit was about E2 000, it was increased by my friend and the money was withdrawn, in different amounts,” Mamba alleged last year.

He mentioned that after they had spoken about the next destination, which was Mozambique, they packed their bags, resided in a guest house, spent part of it on new clothing, smartphones and further bought a new vehicle, an Altezza sedan, which they used to cross through the Mhlumeni Border to Maputo, Mozambique.

Mamba also alleged that upon arrival in Mozambique, they allegedly booked themselves into guest houses and spent the money they had.

Blocked

“However, after some days when we needed to withdraw more, we discovered that all our bank cards had been blocked and the accounts were frozen. One of us tried contacting his father, who was in South Africa and who had received part of the money, who told us that his account had also been frozen and he could not withdraw more money,” Mamba also alleged.

He told the court that he made a decision to return to the country after Nkambule had allegedly left them stranded and went to another city in Mozambique.
Mamba had alleged that upon arrival at Lomahasha Border, he handed himself over to the police who noticed him through scanning his travel document that he was a wanted suspect.

Meanwhile, Nkambule, who was a Supervisor for Consultants at the bank and won an award for ‘Best Performing Employee of the Year’ in 2018, is expected to make his first court appearance this morning.

All in all, three suspects have been arrested and charged with the theft of the money belonging to FNB.
After Mamba had surrendered, another accused implicated in the matter, Max Ntokozo Mkhatshwa, was also arrested by the police.
He was admitted to E70 000 bail at the High Court together with Mamba.

Each of the suspects was ordered to pay E20 000 cash and E50 000 as surety. They are both currently out on bail.

Confirmed

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that the key suspect, Nkambule, had been arrested and charged with a theft/fraud offence.
“The accused was surrendered yesterday and will make an appearance this morning at the magistrates court,” Superintendent Vilakati said.

How Nkambule is alleged to
have stolen the E2.8 Million

Information gathered is that the suspect, who is believed to have carefully planned the theft, reported for work on a Friday as normal and was in his office the whole day, going about his daily duties.

It was established that he allegedly transferred the money into different accounts, one of them belonging to his distant brother. 
Nkambule, on the following day, failed to report for work.

He is also alleged to have withdrawn about E300 000 on the Saturday in the country before escaping.
It was also gathered that another amount was withdrawn from a South African account over the same weekend by an unknown individual, whose account was used by the accused person.

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