A 44-year-old cashier employed at Emthanjeni Municipality in De Aar was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, after she was convicted of defrauding the municipality of more than R120,000 over a period of time.
A 44-YEAR-old cashier employed at Emthanjeni Municipality in De Aar, Nomava Luwalala, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, which was wholly suspended for five years, after she was convicted of defrauding the municipality of more than R120,000 over a period of time.
Hawks provincial spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Tebogo Thebe said Luwalala was employed at the municipality’s traffic department.
“Luwalala manipulated the eNatis system for a period of time covering July 2019 to December 2020. While performing her duties, she failed to report all the money received. The municipality suffered a loss of R120,252 as a result of her actions,” said Thebe.
He added that Luwalala pleaded guilty to the charges against her.
“On September 28, 2023, she appeared in the Hanover Regional Court and pleaded guilty on all 20 counts of fraud in terms of Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977. Luwalala was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that the accused is not convicted of fraud, theft or attempted theft during the period of suspension,” said Thebe.
“The accused was further directed to pay back an amount of R120,252 in instalments of R10,000 until the amount is fully repaid.”
Thebe noted that the investigating team was commended for the arrest and the fact that the municipality would be able to recover the losses suffered.
