A 47-YEAR-OLD man found guilty of defrauding the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality in the North West has been jailed to an effective six years behind bars.
Kealeboga Coldridge Mongae was sentenced in the Zeerust Regional Court after being convicted of fraud amounting to R1 million.
Henry Mamothame, NPA spokesperson in the North West, said Mongae’s conviction emanates from an incident in May 16, 2012.
According to the NPA, Mongae collected two cheques from the municipality for a service he did not render.
“At the time he was a liaison officer between the municipality, Born Free Investments (Pty) Ltd, Lesedisedi and Lebogangkatlego Joint Venture and private companies that were contracted by the municipality to render a service.
“He pretended to collect the cheques on behalf of the two companies and cashed the money for his private use.
“Before being summoned to appear in court on April 29 last year, the municipality had to pay the same amount to the service providers he had defrauded.
“The municipality requested that he reimburse the money that he defrauded, but he failed to honour his commitment to repay.”
In aggravation of sentence, State Advocate Siphiwo Jika argued that fraud is a serious criminal offence that often leads to community unrest due to a lack of service delivery.
In passing sentence, Magistrate James Mothibi alluded to the rifeness of fraud in the country and found that a wholly suspended sentence to give him a further chance to repay the money after he failed to do so in nine years, will not send a clear message to communities that courts take the commissioning of fraud seriously. | IOL