The Hawks arrested Lebohang Mokatedi in East London after stokvel members in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo reported fraud and theft.
The Bloemfontein Regional Court convicted Lebohang Mokatedi of fraud, theft and money laundering after members lost contributions to his alleged Christmas stokvel scheme. Picture: iStock
A Free State man has been ordered to serve 10 years in prison for defrauding unsuspecting victims of their stokvel contributions.
The Bloemfontein Regional Court made the ruling on Thursday, 15 October, a week after 31-year-old Lebohang Mokatedi was convicted on multiple counts of fraud, theft and money laundering.
Court hands down sentences to Mokatedi and his company
The court sentenced Mokatedi to 15 years’ imprisonment, of which five years are wholly suspended for five years, on condition that he is not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension.
His company, Lebohang Society and Financial Credit Service (Pty) Ltd, was sentenced to a R1 million fine.
The sentence was also wholly suspended for five years on condition that it is not convicted of a cybercrime-related fraud offence in those five years.
Unfulfilled Christmas promise
Evidence before the court revealed that Mokatedi had introduced a “Christmas” stokvel sometime in 2024, enticing potential members to join by promising them groceries, alcoholic beverages, household items and relish ingredients at the end of the year.
Members were required to contribute monthly amounts ranging from R100 to R500.
But when the time came for Mokatedi to fulfil his end of the promise, he was nowhere to be found.
“Several people from Bloemfontein and Botshabelo joined the stokvel and honoured their monthly contributions,” South African Police Service (Saps) spokesperson Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti said on Friday.
“However, when the time came for Mokatedi to deliver the promised goods, he disappeared and failed to honour the arrangements made with the members.
‘Intensive investigation’ led to his arrest
A number of the victims subsequently opened cases of fraud and theft against Mokatedi at various police stations in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo.
Matoti said the cases were initially investigated by detectives in the two areas before being handed over to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (Hawks) Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Bloemfontein.
“An intensive investigation resulted in Mokatedi’s arrest in East London, Eastern Cape.”
The Free State Saps Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Solly Lesia, and the provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, have welcomed the sentencing, Matoti said.
“They commended the investigating team comprising the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Bloemfontein, together with detectives from Bloemspruit and Botshabelo, for conducting a thorough investigation and ensuring that justice is served to the victims of the fraudulent scheme.”
