Hawks spokesperson in Free State, Captain Christopher Singo, said Mosebetsi Richard Mofokeng, who was working as a legal adviser, resigned when he was asked by the Nketoana Local Municipality to produce his qualifications
FORMER legal adviser in the Nketoana Local Municipality in Free State, Mosebetsi Richard Mofokeng, 39, has been convicted on fraud charges, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said on Tuesday.
Hawks spokesperson in Free State, Captain Christopher Singo, said Mofokeng’s responsibilities while working for the municipality included advising the mayor as well as municipal employees.
Singo said Mofokeng resigned from the plush job when he was asked to produce his qualifications.
“It is alleged that over the period between 2013 until 2014, Mofokeng was working at Nketoana Municipality as a legal representative for the municipality, responsible for advising the mayor as well as employees with legal aspects. It is further alleged that he also represented clients in the criminal court for his own benefits,” said Singo.
“When the municipality requested him to produce his qualifications, he then resigned. The matter was then reported to the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation team based in Bethlehem for further investigation.”
Mofokeng was then issued with summons in 2018.
“He appeared in court on several occasions until his recent conviction,” said Singo.
“The case against Mofokeng has been remanded to 28 January 2022 for sentencing. He was granted R2,000 bail.”
Last month, a former Northern Cape head of department in the department of health and two security company directors were arrested by the Hawks on charges of tender fraud amounting to R384 million.
The charges relate to allegations of fraud, contravention of Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999 and contravention of the Private Security Industry Regulation Act 56 of 2001.
The former head of department was employed in the premier’s office as a deputy director-general and was previously employed as a police officer.
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