An attorney who has allegedly been practising law in Middelburg for 15 years, was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in the Middelburg Magistrate’s court yesterday on charges relating to more than R1m she allegedly claimed from the Road Accident Fund, but never paid to her client.

Mantladi Jo-Anne Mmela (41) from Mmela Associates Inc, was arrested at her place of hiding in Pretoria by the Middelburg Hawks, says spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi.

It is alleged that Mmela was appointed by the parents of a child who was seriously injured during an accident, to claim from the Road Accident Fund (RAF).

In May R1.8m was paid into a trust account belonging to the accused.

“The attorney allegedly created a false reference as if the money was paid over to the complainant,” Sekgotodi says.

The victim’s mother was informed that the RAF money was paid out. She went to enquire from the accused, who promised to ‘look out for the money’.

Sekgotodi says Mmela later promised to pay the money, but instead ‘left for Pretoria’.

The matter was later reported to the police, who after an investigation, allege that the money was indeed paid into the trust on May 8, from where it was transferred to another account.

A warrant of arrest was then issued for Mmela. She was granted R25 000 bail during her first court appearance yesterday.

The matter was postponed for pretrial and disclosure proceedings in the Middelburg Commercial Crimes Court on December 5.