A university student was arrested after spending over $1 million that was mistakenly deposited into her bank account.
In 2017, South African student Sibongile Mani, who was attending Walter Sisulu University (WSU), received an unexpected deposit of $1,137,000 in her bank account.
This was a mistake, as she was only supposed to receive $114 from a government aid scheme.
Seeing this as an opportunity, she indulged in expensive shopping, purchasing designer items, and the latest iPhone, and hosting lavish parties.
However, her spending spree was short-lived. She was caught after leaving a bank receipt and eventually arrested for theft and fraud.
The student received over $1M instead of $114 from a government aid
In 2017, South African student Sibongile Mani, who was attending Walter Sisulu University (WSU), received an unexpected deposit of $1,137,000 in her bank account.
This was a mistake, as she was only supposed to receive $114 from a government aid scheme.
She splashed out over $1M was mistakenly transformed into her bank account
Seeing this as an opportunity, she indulged in expensive shopping, purchasing designer items, and the latest iPhone, and hosting lavish parties.
However, her spending spree was short-lived.
She was caught after leaving a bank receipt and eventually arrested for theft and fraud.
Mani had been expecting her regular monthly stipend of $114 to cover basic living expenses.
However, she received a massive payment of 14 million rands (about $1,137,000) instead.
Rather than reporting the error, Mani quickly took advantage of the situation by going on a massive shopping spree.
She spent tens of thousands on high-end clothing, electronics, and expensive liquor, hosting parties for friends without care.
Mani’s unusual spending habits soon raised suspicion.
Her bank account balance, shared via a supermarket receipt, showed 13.6 million rands.
The student was arrested and faced 5 years in prison
This led to her being reported to the authorities by her peers, and she was promptly arrested.
The case caught public attention, and in 2017, she was charged with theft and fraud.
After a lengthy court battle, in 2022, Mani was sentenced to five years in prison.
However, her legal team appealed, with Mani claiming that she saw the money as a “gift from God.”
Samkelo Mqhayi, branch secretary of the South African Students Congress, told Herald Live at the time: “She was just suddenly spending so much.
Her supermarket receipt which was leaked showed she had 13.6m rand in her account and she had been throwing parties for her friends and showering them with gifts without worry.”
In 2023, her prison sentence was suspended.
The conditions of her release included 14 weeks of community service, counseling, and no further involvement in theft or fraud.
Her lawyer stated that she was relieved by the court’s decision, focusing on rebuilding her life after the ordeal.
“She is putting her life which was left in tatters back together again and is looking forward to starting afresh and is very grateful that the court took the decisions that it took.”