EVANDER – The Evander Regional Court on Thursday, 20 August, sentenced three people to jail on fraud-related charges.
John Mahlangu (43), Banone Aron Mokoena (47) and Phindile Mashazi (59) were found guilty in court on charges of fraud and contravention of electronic communication.
The trio conspired in May 2018 to deceive the community of Leandra and Secunda by skimming bank cards from different ATMs.
The case was referred to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Mpumalanga.
The team cracked the case and arrested the accused and several illegal equipment pieces were found in their possession.
During further investigation while tracing Mashazi, the Hawks found that Mashazi, mother of the fourth suspect, Sandile Mashazi, fraudulently submitted documents to the police claiming that her son has a registered business as a loan shark.
She was thus charged with fraud, found guilty and sentenced to a fine of R20 000 or 12 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on the condition that she is not found guilty of fraud during the period of suspension.
Sandile Mashazi is still at large and a warrant of arrest was issued against him.
Mahlangu and Mokoena were sentenced to six years’ imprisonment or a R15 000 fine each on the condition that the accused are not found guilty of theft or attempted theft, contravening an offence referred to in Section 2 of the counterfeit goods act 37/1997 and contravening section 86 of the electronic communications and transactions act 25/2002 during the period of suspension.
The duo were also ordered to pay R10 000 each to the Janelle House Child and Youth Care Centre.
