Eight members of a highly-sophisticated syndicate which specialized in cybercrime have finally been jailed in the Commercial Crimes Court in Port Elizabeth this week.
The group, of whom some worked for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), conspired and committed fraud by targeting its bank account.
A spokesperson for the Hawks Hangwani Mulaudzi says in 2009 the syndicate purchased computer software which is designed to record keystrokes and email addresses.
He says they then managed to record important keystrokes which were used to capture, verify and release unauthorized payments into specified beneficiary accounts.
In August 2009, the syndicate released unauthorized payments, in the amount of R19 million from the municipal account. However, the municipality managed to pick up on the abnormality. Despite their quick action, more than R1.7 million was already stolen.
The gang activities were reported to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation who managed to get convictions against all the suspects.
The former Deputy Director of Salary Section at NMBM Khayalethu Claudius Ngqondi (59), Former Payroll administrators Sipho Mzoni (47), Mandisi Busakwe (39) and Mduduzi Maxwell Mkhize as well as former Payroll Administrators at the Department of Education in Ulundi: Phumla Ntozini (61), Lungisa Kosi (44), Nokhuthula Magubane Kholeka (47) and Edith Ngqondi (55) were all sentenced to between 10 and 15 years in prison.
Mulaudzi says they welcome the outcome of the case even though it was on the court roll for six years.
