Investment policy

My niece has an Investment policy that matured in August 2019. She went to the Newcastle Mall KZN branch to make a follow up on the money & they told her the money would be in her bank account after 32 days. The money has never reflected in her account and today she went to Absa Ghandi square and they told her there was no money. How is that possible? This is money that she was supposed to use to pay for her studies and now its all gone, how is it possible that a bank cannot trace a clients savings? Let alone a 22 year old who is saving money for her studies