The monies belong to the Road Accident Fund.
A Mbombela lawyer has spent the long weekend in jail for allegedly stealing money belonging to his clients, claimed from the Road Accident Fund.
It appears the lawyer Vukani Mthembu (37) had his own firm, Vukani Attorneys, which he used to represent clients in court.
Hawks spokeswoman Dineo Sekgotodi said Mthembu submitted claims on his clients’ behalf to the Road Accident Fund, Master of High Court and the Estate Office.
But when these entities paid the money, Mthembu allegedly used it and never forwarded it to his clients.
Sekgotodi said the monies include one payment that was allegedly made to Mthembu by a woman who wanted Mthembu to appoint a private investigator on her behalf to do certain findings about a certain matter that was troubling her.
“She is said to have paid the monies into Mthembu’s trust account,” Sekgotodi said.
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Mthembu was arrested by the Hawks Friday 19 March 2022 and spent the long weekend in at the Nelspruit holding cells.
He was released on R5000 bail…
“The accused stole the total amount of R981 452.54 actual loss whilst claims to the total value of R1 300 000.00 potential loss was stopped by the Fidelity Fund,” said Sekgotodi.
The matter returns to the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Mbombela on 6 April 2022.
(edited by MLM)
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