Pretoria – The Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court sentenced a 46-year-old man to 8 years in prison for defrauding the the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) over R1.5 million.
The court heard evidence of how Christopher Tshivule “hijacked” a non-profit organisation (NPO) called The Message which focuses on youth development and empowerment in Bekkersdal.
The National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane, said the chairperson of the NPO, Billy Itumeleng Semamane, convened a board meeting and discussed the proposal to approach the NLC for funding.
“The board supported the idea and documents such as the NPO’s constitution and certificates were handed over to Tshivule, who had misrepresented himself as knowing a manager at NLC that can help them secure the funding.
“As funding was not forthcoming, Semamane made inquiries with the NLC and discovered that their funding application was approved and dividends were paid to an account that Tshivhule was the sole signatory of,” Mjonondwane said.
According to the grant application form, Tshivule misrepresented himself as the chairperson of the NPO, and applied for funding in the amount of R3m for the mobilisation and organising of a Traditional Arts Festival, among other things.
“On 8 October 2018, on the strength of the NPO certificate and fraudulent grant application form, funding worth R1.575m was granted.”
Senior state advocate Phuti Matabane, told the court that Tshivule was driven by greed when he defrauded money, which was meant to uplift the community of Bekkersdal.
He said the NLC is on the brink of collapse, as a result of greedy individuals like Tshivule, that milked its coffers, without thinking of the members of society that benefit from such funds.
He said the accused pleaded guilty, not as a sign of remorse but because he was aware that there was overwhelming evidence against him.
“Magistrate Brian Nemavhidi remarked that white-collar crimes have reached alarming proportions and that courts must send a message that crime shall be dealt with severely,” Mjonondwane said.
IOL