Bogus security guard sentenced to 15 years for R3m theft at Nedbank

A 55-year-old man who posed as a security guard and walked out of a Nedbank branch in Klerksdorp with R3 million cash has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

Police spokesperson, Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso said Welcome Marcus’ sentence was handed down by the Stilfontein Regional Court for the theft which took place on 11 April 2018.

Fake security guards

“The accused and his accomplice were dressed in security uniforms when they went into the Nedbank branch on Anderson Street and indicated that they were there to collect money.”

“They then collected an amount of R3 million and left the bank. It was only after they had left that the bank officials realised that the pair were bogus security officials,” said Rikhotso.

The matter was reported to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and probed by the Serious Organised Crime Investigation.

The investigation led to the arrest of the duo in Johannesburg on 13 May 2018.

At the time, they made their first appearance in court facing charges of theft and were each released on R30 000 bail.

READ MORE: Pretoria attorney accused of stealing R3.2 million from his employer

Case dropped against accomplice

The case was later dropped against the second accused while Marcus made several court appearances until he was ultimately convicted.

The provincial head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in North West – Major General Patrick Mbotho, thanked the investigation team for their great work and lauded the work of the National Prosecuting Authority for the successful conviction.

Bank manager jailed for stealing more than R3.6 million

In an unrelated incident, a 45-year-old bank manager was sentenced to 15 years in jail after he stole millions of rand from an automatic teller machine (ATM) in June last year.

Aubrey Lepala Tlaka appeared at the Kwaggafontein Regional Court where the sentence was handed down.

Bank manager

Police spokesperson Bonnie Nxumalo said the convicted criminal was a bank manager in one of the banks in Kwaggafontein Complex when he stole the money.

“Between January 2011 and November 2012, Tlaka stole more than R3.6 million from the automatic teller machine and the client’s estate account.

“The irregularities were discovered and the matter was reported to the police.”

“The accused was detained and charged. He was found guilty on numerous counts of theft on 25 May 2022.

“He was sentenced on 28 June 2022, to 15 and eight years imprisonment which will run concurrently.”

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