Xolani Masebeni: Absa engineer accused of stealing R103m shot dead

Absa specialist engineer, Xolani Masebeni who was accused of defrauding the bank of R103 million has been shot dead outside his home in Ezibeleni, in the Eastern Cape. 

Masebeni was shot dead on Saturday, 26 February while he was with a group of friends. 

XOLANI MASEBENI SHOT DEAD

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said Masebeni was sitting in his yard with four of his friends when two unknown men accosted him.  

Masebeni stood up and approached the two unknown men. His friends heard several gunshots and started running.

“Masebeni sustained several gunshot wounds in the upper body and was rushed to the nearest clinic, where he succumbed to his injuries. It is believed that the two armed suspects fled the scene in a silver grey VW Polo.”

Police spokesperson

ABSA SPECIALIST ‘STEALS’ R103 MILLION

When one thinks of bank robberies, one thinks of armed men and scenes from the show Money Heist. You don’t immediately think that an Absa bank specialist employee would end up transferring over R100 million into various accounts.

The Hawks arrested the 30-year-old Absa Sandton Specialist Engineer Xolela Masebeni in January. He was accused of stealing R103 million rand. How? By allegedly transferring the money into six different bank accounts over several transactions. These “fraudulent transfers” allegedly took place between September and December 2021.

Masebeni and his wife Athembile Mpani faced charges of theft, fraud and contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

The two were accused by the State of spending over R200 000 in one day when they had a shopping spree in Sandton. They also allegedly bought two properties in Khayelitsha and seven cars.

They were both granted R50 000 bail and their case was postponed to March.

ALSO READ: Inside job! ABSA bank exec arrested for allegedly stealing R100m from bank