NELSPRUIT – A former Standard Bank manager arrested in connection with theft of the bank’s R100 000 was found guilty and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
Mr Magolongwane Matlou (34) pleaded guilty to the crime which he committed in 2008 after accepting the money from a client on pretence of depositing it in the client’s account but in fact deposited it into another account.
Evidence brought in court revealed that Matlou had hoped to make about 60 per cent interest for his own gain within 16 days before transferring it to the client’s account – which didn’t happen.
It was also heard that Matlou lost his job after this scandal and the bank paid the customer his money.
During his previous court appearance in in September 2013 the court heard that he was employed at Macro earning a gross income of R15 000 and by then the court was considering a suspended sentence for him as he had pleaded guilty and promised to repay the bank and his other creditors.
However, at his recent court appearance on February 10 , the Nelspruit Regional Court heard that Matlou had lost his job again and was now employed as a temporary taxi driver at only R2 500 a month.
“It is clear that you cannot afford to pay the bank and its interest since 2008, when the crime was committed. You still owe the bank and haven’t paid a cent or even tried to, in which case a suspended sentence is no longer appropriate. You are therefore found guilty of owing the bank R100 000 plus interest,” said the magistrate Mr André Geldenhuys.
