23-year-old woman arrested for R862,000 fraudulent bank transactions

A 23-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with fraudulent bank transaction. 

Nomathamsanqa Ayeza Shabane was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks). 

Speaking about the arrest Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said the matter was reported on October 12, 2022. 

"The complainant allegedly received a call from the bank verifying whether they had authorised payments totalling to R862,000 where R800,000 was for a property purchase and R62,000 for a vehicle.

"The complainant reportedly immediately instructed the bank to halt the payments."

The Hawks said despite the bank’s intervention, it was later discovered that R62,000 had already been transferred to a company linked to Shabane.

"Fortunately, the R800,000, which had been funneled into an account belonging to another suspect who remains at large, was successfully reversed."

Fumba said the matter was then referred to the Hawks to conduct a thorough investigation.

"The Hawks uncovered Shabane’s alleged connection to the beneficiary company which led to Shabane’s arrest in Pietermaritzburg on February 25, 2025."

Shabane appeared in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court the next day. 

She was released on bail of R5,000.

The matter was remanded to April 23, 2025. 

Fumba said investigations are ongoing and arrests are imminent. 

IOL News