The Kimberley Specialised Commercial Court sentenced a woman to 10 years direct imprisonment for fraud, forgery and uttering as well as money laundering.
Northern Cape Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Tebogo Thebe said the Kimberley Specialised Commercial Court sentenced Simangele Sangweni, 33, and her company Multi Quipments (Pty) Ltd (juristic person) for fraud, forgery and uttering as well as money laundering.
He said the sentencing proceedings took place on Thursday.
Diverted payments to her own company
Thebe said the charges that Sangweni and her company faced included 17 counts of fraud, and 25 counts of money laundering.
He said during August 2021, Sangweni submitted fraudulent change of banking details letter and invoices to Phokwane Local Municipality while purporting to be Vaalharts Water, a service provider of the municipality.
“The accused misrepresented themselves and misled the municipality into paying an amount of R455 510 into her business account. During September 2021, the same accused submitted fraudulent change of banking details letter and invoices to Frances Baart District Municipality. She purported to be municipal service provider Sedibeng Water. The Municipality was misled and changed the banking details. It later made a payment of R469 918 to her company’s business account,” said Thebe.
He said Multi Quipment Pty (Ltd) was sentenced to pay a fine of R100 000, wholly suspended.
Sentence sends message to fraudsters
Thebe said Sangweni was sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment.
The Hawks provincial head in the Northern Cape, Maj-Gen Steven Mabuela, commended the team for a successful conviction.
“Criminality in any form must be confronted, this conviction sends the right message,” said Mabuela.
