A Zimbabwean illegal immigrant and some Batswana are at the centre of investigations after he swindled First National Bank FNB over P1, 5 million.
Law enforcement agencies have not yet recovered the stolen money as well as the assets that were bought.
Speaking to The Telegraph the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) spokesperson Nlayidzi Gambule said both the DCEC and the police launched intensive investigations after cash amounting to P1, 6m was siphoned off by the illegal immigrant and some locals.
He said that a 38 year old Zimbabwean illegal immigrant Farai Mangombe together with six other locals were arraigned before Regional Magistrate Court South recently charged with 16 counts of Forgery, uttering a false document and obtaining by false pretences.
He said the accused persons are also charged with money laundering contrary to Section 47 of the Proceeds and instruments of Crime Act.
He explained that investigations conducted by DCEC revealed that the prime suspect Mangombe and his co-accused between the 29 April and 26 June 2016 in Gaborone, acting jointly with intent to defraud, fraudulently obtained 1,619.540.17.
The fraudulent FNB certified cheques were allegedly drawn by Whitacon (PTY) LTD Mercantile General Insurance Trust and Kalahadi Bridals (PTY) LTD in favour of Magy Holdings (PTY) LTD, Kabelo mathe and Lawrence Bakang Magasola, a representation they knew to be false at all material time.
He added that said the accused persons allegedly laundered about P114, 700.12.
“Sadly DCEC has not yet recovered any “thebe “but the agency is fully aware of the assets that the accused bought and we are following any possible lead,” he said.
Gambule said DCEC is worried about the increasing number of reproduced cheques that eventually lead to the theft of huge amount of money”.
Meanwhile Gambule stated that DCEC is also investigating another Zimbabwean Engineer George Kamba aged 43 who allegedly forged a tax clearance that led the accused person to win a tender worth P1, 2m from Jwaneng Town Council.
He said the council only managed to pay the accused person part of the money amounting to P500 000.
