Latest news with #Nelspruit-based
The Citizen
7 days ago
- The Citizen
Ex-post office manager loses R140k in pension after Sassa fraud sentence
Bushbuckridge ex-post office branch manager admits to Sassa grant theft, forfeits pension funds in court ruling. A former post office manager lost more than R140 000 from her pension payout after colluding with accomplices to steal Sassa funds from needy beneficiaries. Lucia Mashego, a former branch manager of the Shatale Post Office in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, has received an eight-year prison sentence for fraud. This sentence is suspended for five years, contingent upon her not being convicted of a similar offence during that period. Ex-post office branch boss pleaded guilty to Sassa fraud This comes after the wheelchair-bound woman pleaded guilty to all 60 charges on 27 May 2025. The Mpumalanga Specialised Commercial Crimes Court also ordered the Asset Forfeiture Unit to recover R146 897.05 from her pension fund. ALSO READ: Sassa responds to social grant deduction complaints Mashego colluded with a teller, Thandeka Dibakwane, and a private person, Precious Nyathi, to steal from Sassa beneficiaries without their knowledge. She made duplicate Sassa cards and gave them to Dibakwane, who then handed them to Nyathi to unlawfully withdraw money from various ATMs. According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Sassa beneficiaries lost R250 000 through these unlawful withdrawals. Beneficiaries lost R250k The Hawks' Nelspruit-based serious corruption investigation unit handled the case. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi said another post office teller, Virginia Phoku, took advantage of the situation and created duplicate cards after seeing the illegal activity. Phoku was found guilty and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, suspended for five years on condition that she is not convicted of a similar offence during January 2025. The other two accused, Dibakwane and Nyathi, are expected to appear before the Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday, 13 August 2025. ALSO READ: Sassa pilots grant improvements in Western Cape
The Citizen
03-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Mpumalanga High Court sentences former by-law enforcement officer
A former City of Mbombela by-law enforcement officer, Abednego Desmond Mbuyane (39), was sentenced to 12 years in jail for housebreaking and the murder of his wife's boyfriend, Thamsanqa Sbusiso Nkosi. Mbuyane was sentenced in the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court today. According to the National Prosecuting Authority's regional spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, the conviction relates to an incident that occurred at Kwanyoni Lodge near Mbombela on April 15, 2023. 'The accused became suspicious of his wife's whereabouts after multiple unanswered phone calls. He tracked the vehicle she was driving using a GPS tracking device, which led him to the lodge. Upon arrival, he identified the room where the vehicle was parked. After knocking and not receiving a response, he forcibly entered the room by kicking the door open. Inside, he found his wife and Nkosi naked in bed,' she said. ALSO READ: Four people shot, three dead in Bushbuckridge Nyuswa said an altercation ensued, prompting the wife and Nkosi to flee the room. The accused pursued them and shot Nkosi in the head and shoulder, before fleeing the scene. He later handed himself over to the police. The case docket was handed to the Hawks' Nelspruit-based Serious Organized Crime Investigation Unit for further investigation. 'During court proceedings, the Mbuyane pleaded guilty to murder and housebreaking. However, the State rejected the plea because the murder was premeditated. The matter proceeded to trial. State advocate Senzo Zindela led compelling testimony from the accused's wife and an eyewitness, both of whom corroborated the events leading up to the murder. In mitigation, the accused claimed he had no intention to kill and had merely sought to confront his wife,' said Nyuswa. ALSO READ: UPDATE: Man accused of shooting girlfriend dead denied bail in Masoyi Periodical Court She also said after evaluating all the evidence presented, the court convicted Mbuyane on both charges. During Mbuyane's sentencing, the court considered that the accused had been in custody since his arrest. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for housebreaking and 12 years' imprisonment for murder. The sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of 12 years. The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Alleged Mpumalanga fraud and corruption accused released on bail
Phumelela (Pty) Ltd company director Mbongiseni Ngomane (34) and accomplices were released on bail on Tuesday, May 20, after a warrant of arrest was issued against Ngomane for alleged misrepresentation of the company's income to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in 2022. According to the Mpumalanga Hawks' spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, Ngomane's misrepresentation led to SARS suffering an actual loss of R1 424 872.42. 'Upon receiving a tax refund from SARS, Ngomane allegedly transferred a total amount of R200 000 to KC The Princess (Pty) Ltd, a company that is solely directed by Khensani Mnisi (59). Mnisi then transferred the money to five other recipients, Phindile Shabangu (30), Dorren Simelane (49), Thobile Ngomane (35), Khanyisile Dlamini-Phenyane (50), and Bafana Singwane (50),' Nkosi said. The Hawks' Nelspruit-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit executed the warrant of arrest and all suspects appeared in the Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court on Tuesday, May 20. ALSO READ: Schoemansdal murder: Family members granted bail Ngomane was released on R2 000 bail whilst his co-accused were released on R500 bail each. The matter was postponed to July 8 for further investigation. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
