A major probe led by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Middelburg has resulted in a 10-year prison sentence for a former Eskom employee involved in a R1.8m fraud scheme.

Cinderella Thabisile Muropane was sentenced at the Nelspruit Court on October 2, following a detailed investigation by the Middelburg-based Hawks unit.

According to Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, the case centres on fraudulent invoices and payments made to a company that had stopped doing work for the state power utility.

Nkosi said that the fraud dates back to 2013, when Muropane was working at Eskom’s Nelspruit offices.

Fake invoices generated

“Investigations revealed that a firm named Mandla Lines CC had been contracted by Eskom until March 2013, but its last official job was completed in May 2012. After that date, the company carried out no further work for Eskom, and another contractor took over the duties and was paid accordingly,” Nkosi said.

“However, fake invoices were generated under the name of Mandla Lines CC from the Nelspruit office. This led to illegal payments being made directly into the company’s bank account, costing Eskom around R1.8m.”

Following the evidence gathered by the Middelburg Hawks team, Muropane was convicted on dozens of fraud charges.

Concurrent sentences handed down

Nkosi added that she received a 10-year sentence for counts 1-16, and two seven-year sentences for counts 17-55 and 56-94.

“As the sentences will run concurrently, she will serve an effective 10 years in prison,” Nkosi added.