MBOMBELA – The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development obtained judgement against one of its own in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Thursday. He was found guilty of cheating the department out of R1 325 780.
Ian Maseko works as a clerk at various periodic courts and is responsible for receiving bail money on behalf of the Barberton, Malelane, Komatipoort and Low’s Creek periodic magistrate’s courts. From time to time, he has to compile a balance sheet regarding these payments, which is then checked by his seniors and captured onto the electronic justice deposit account system.
From January 2007 to July 2013, Maseko had received bail and guilt-admission payments, took some of it for himself and indicated on the balance sheets that the correct amount had been paid.
This led to the department suffering a loss of R1 325 780 over a period of six and a half years, until he was ousted by a whistle- blower. He was consequently found guilty of alternative counts of fraud and theft on Thursday.
Magistrate Ms Venessa Joubert preceded Maseko’s sentencing by elaborating on his deliberate endeavour to enrich himself. “The department relied on your honesty and uprightness daily and you chose to break that trust. Had you not been ousted by a whistle-blower, you would have continued with your behaviour.”
During his trial, evidence was given about Maseko’s hard-working nature as he hardly ever took leave. Joubert was not deterred by this. “You seldom took leave because you wanted to stay close to the hen laying the golden eggs,” she said.
He was sentenced to a suspended period of eight years in prison and ordered to repay the indebted amount to the department in instalments of R3 000 per month, the first of which would be due on February 7. He also received three years’ correctional supervision and had to perform 16 hours’ community service per month. This service would include serving the employees of the department by washing their cars, gardening and cleaning. Maseko’s pension benefits had also been forfeited.
