MBOMBELA – A former lawyer, Excellent Vukani Mthembu, who owned Vukani Attorneys in Mbombela, was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team last Friday, March 19, and charged for alleged theft of trust funds.

According to the Hawks spokesperson, Capt Dineo Sekgotodi, the suspect, when still practising, was appointed by his clients and submitted claims on their behalf to the Road Accident Fund, Master of High Court and Estate Office.

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“Upon receiving the monies, he allegedly pocketed them, and also allegedly pocketed monies for litigation after clients had approached him to appoint a private investigator to conduct a private investigation on their behalf. The clients in question are said to have paid the monies into the former lawyer’s trust account. The accused then allegedly stole the total amount of R981 452.54, while alleged claims to the total value of R1.3m potential loss was stopped by the Fidelity Fund,” she explained.