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Media Statement MPUMALANGA – Ephraim Mashegoane (34) and Cliff Matlakala (39), appeared before the Emakhazeni Magistrates court on Wednesday, 23 October 2024 for fraud. Their appearance follows after they were arrested as additional accused by the Hawks Middelburg based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation. It is alleged that during October 2021, the complainant, Mr Sizolethu Richard Sindane, was a regular customer of a company called Centex Fluid Products Africa (PTY) LTD. Sindane used to buy products by sending an email to the company with a list of required products. The company would package the stock and inform him when they are ready for delivery. The complainant would then deposit the money through a FNB bank account number and they would deliver the goods. It is further alleged that the main suspect in this matter, who is a former SANDF employee, fraudulently accessed an email address of Mr Sindane and he altered the email. The suspect sent an email to Mr Sindane pretending to be Mr Theo Phillipou of Centex Africa using an altered email address informing him that his stock is ready for delivery and he must send the money for payment. Sindane told them that he did pay the money, but the company said that they did not receive it. The suspect told Sindane that they had changed the banking details and that he should use the new bank account number sent to him. Sindane paid the money into the new bank account received by the suspects. The complainant suffered actual loss amount of R 741 000.00 which was deposited into one of the suspect’s personal bank accounts, who is still to be arrested. During investigation, it was confirmed that the company did not receive the money from Sindane during that time. Evidence linking five suspects from Gauteng Province who received the money into their personal bank accounts was established. The team traced and executed warrants of arrest against two accused, Mahlangu and Mokoena who appeared in Court on 08 October 2024 and released on R1000.00 bail each. The case was postponed to 23 October 2024 pending the arrest of the other three suspects. The two additional accused, Mashegoane and Matlakala appeared before the Emakhazeni Magistrate court together with the other two accused Elijah Mahlangu and Jabu Mokoena. The matter was postponed to 30 October 2024, for the two additional accused formal bail application. The two additional accused remanded in custody. Investigation continues. Ends
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