A Special Tribunal has ruled against a former National Lotteries Commission (NLC) executive, but granted him a 12-month reprieve on legal costs, citing his dire financial situation.
Marubini Livingstone Ramatsekisa, who served as chief risk officer at the NLC, allegedly facilitated a R4-million irregular grant that siphoned funds meant for public beneficiaries.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) uncovered evidence linking him to a scheme that diverted grant money through a fraudulent process.
Denied access to his frozen pension
Despite pleading poverty, the tribunal denied him access to his frozen pension, stating that he failed to disclose key financial details.
The SIU secured a preservation order on his R1.4-million pension after uncovering evidence of financial misconduct.
Ramatsekisa claimed he needed R1.2-million to fund legal battles and settle debts.
But Judge Margaret Victor ruled that his financial claims were misleading,. She said:
“The applicant has not made a full and frank disclosure of his financial situation.”
The judgement noted that his financial struggles predated the preservation order. This contradicts his claim that the SIU’s intervention ruined him, it said.
Ramatsekisa told the tribunal he had no income and was unable to pay school fees, mortgages, or legal bills.
No proof of how he funds rich lifestyle
However, the court questioned his claims, pointing to his home in Blue Valley Golf Estate, in Midrand.
“He has failed to explain how he is funding that lifestyle in an exclusive estate,” the judge ruled.
The tribunal also found that he sold a property during the proceedings. But he did not disclose what happened to the proceeds.
Additionally, he failed to submit bank statements, which could have clarified his financial position.
Judge Victor dismissed the case with costs. She ruled that Ramatsekisa did not provide enough evidence to justify unlocking his pension.
“There is simply insufficient material facts on which to grant the relief the applicant seeks,” the judgment read.
Granted 12 months to settle legal costs
However, in a rare show of leniency, the judge allowed him 12 months to settle legal costs.
“It is prudent to grant the applicant some time to pay the costs which he must pay,” the ruling stated.
This ruling marks the second time the Special Tribunal has rejected his legal attempts to unlock his pension.
The SIU welcomed the judgment, saying it ensures that state funds remain protected.
Kaizer Kganyago, SIU spokesperson, confirmed the SIU stance. He said the ruling confirms that Ramatsekisa misrepresented his financial position while trying to access frozen funds.
“The tribunal found that Mr Ramatsekisa pleaded poverty while withholding critical financial information. This is including his rental income and property sales,” said Kganyago.
He further emphasised that the SIU had to act to prevent public funds from being lost forever.
“If we had not intervened, there would have been nothing left to recover from his pension,” Kganyago added.
Millions misappropriated from NLC grants
The SIU linked Ramatsekisa to an elaborate scheme that saw millions misappropriated from NLC grants.
“He was a key player in the manipulation of funds meant for community development,” Kganyago stated.
The SIU remains committed to ensuring full accountability and recovering stolen public money.
For now, Ramatsekisa remains stuck in legal limbo, watching his frozen millions but unable to touch a cent.
