News / National
Manager up for stealing employer's cash
03 Jun 2025 at 10:10hrs | Views
A 42-year-old manager at Lingwale Enterprises in Plumtree, Sipho Ndlovu, has been arrested and dragged before the courts for allegedly embezzling over R621,000 from his employer in a sophisticated scheme involving manipulation of company records and false expenditure reports.
Ndlovu, who appeared before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware on Monday, is facing two counts of theft. The case was remanded to today for continuation of trial proceedings.
According to court submissions, between May 2024 and February 14, 2025, Ndlovu received daily takings from tellers which he was expected to secure in the company safe. However, he allegedly misappropriated large sums of money, using doctored receipts and falsified entries to cover his tracks.
The court was told that Ndlovu repeatedly inflated the cost of electricity purchases in company records. For instance, on September 12, 2024, he claimed to have bought US$100 worth of electricity, confirmed via WhatsApp communication with company official Mandla Donga. However, a ZESA printout revealed only US$78 worth of power was actually purchased.
On September 29, Ndlovu recorded a US$170 electricity expense, but the ZESA printout showed only US$80 in actual purchases. Similar discrepancies were noted on December 1 and December 12, where electricity purchases were overstated by US$50 and US$22, respectively.
Beyond electricity fraud, Ndlovu also allegedly failed to pay staff salaries, including a case on September 30, 2024, when he was supposed to disburse R3,149. Another instance cited was on October 24, when he received R15,750 via mobile money but could not account for it.
Investigations were triggered in February this year when Donga questioned Ndlovu about missing funds. The accused resigned on February 14, raising suspicions. On March 13, Donga opened the company safe and discovered a shortage, with only R7,000 and US$50 present.
A forensic audit was commissioned, revealing that a total of R621,935.45 had been stolen from the company, and none of the money has been recovered.
Ndlovu remains in custody pending further court proceedings, as the State builds its case against him in one of the largest internal fraud cases reported in Plumtree in recent years.
Ndlovu, who appeared before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware on Monday, is facing two counts of theft. The case was remanded to today for continuation of trial proceedings.
According to court submissions, between May 2024 and February 14, 2025, Ndlovu received daily takings from tellers which he was expected to secure in the company safe. However, he allegedly misappropriated large sums of money, using doctored receipts and falsified entries to cover his tracks.
The court was told that Ndlovu repeatedly inflated the cost of electricity purchases in company records. For instance, on September 12, 2024, he claimed to have bought US$100 worth of electricity, confirmed via WhatsApp communication with company official Mandla Donga. However, a ZESA printout revealed only US$78 worth of power was actually purchased.
On September 29, Ndlovu recorded a US$170 electricity expense, but the ZESA printout showed only US$80 in actual purchases. Similar discrepancies were noted on December 1 and December 12, where electricity purchases were overstated by US$50 and US$22, respectively.
Beyond electricity fraud, Ndlovu also allegedly failed to pay staff salaries, including a case on September 30, 2024, when he was supposed to disburse R3,149. Another instance cited was on October 24, when he received R15,750 via mobile money but could not account for it.
Investigations were triggered in February this year when Donga questioned Ndlovu about missing funds. The accused resigned on February 14, raising suspicions. On March 13, Donga opened the company safe and discovered a shortage, with only R7,000 and US$50 present.
A forensic audit was commissioned, revealing that a total of R621,935.45 had been stolen from the company, and none of the money has been recovered.
Ndlovu remains in custody pending further court proceedings, as the State builds its case against him in one of the largest internal fraud cases reported in Plumtree in recent years.
Source - NewsDay
