10-05-2025
44-year-old slapped with jail time for funeral parlor theft
A 44-year-old woman, Sibongile Mokoena, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by the Regional Court sitting in Belfast on Thursday, May 8, following her conviction for theft.
The sentencing follows a theft case reported to Belfast Police in 2020.
It was alleged that Mokoena, then 39 years old and employed as a cashier at a funeral parlour in Belfast, had stolen money paid by clients for funeral cover policies over several months, amounting to a total of R264,290.00.
An investigation was launched, which led to Mokoena's arrest on 24 July 2020.
She appeared before the Belfast Magistrate's Court and was released on R5,000.00 bail.
On Thursday, the Belfast Regional Court sentenced Sibongile Mokoena to six years' imprisonment, with three years suspended for five years on condition that she is not convicted of theft or fraud during the suspension period.
In terms of Section 103(1) of Act 60 of 2000, no order was made, meaning the accused is deemed unfit to possess a firearm.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, welcomed the sentence and emphasized that employment must be respected, as it provides for families. He added that violating that trust must have consequences.
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