A man who was charged with gospel star and medical doctor, Dr Tumi Makweya for fraud has been sent to jail for eight years.
Christopher Tshivule (46) “hijacked” a non-profit organisation to enrich himself by misrepresenting its documents.
He submitted altered grant application documents of The Message, a Bekkersdal-based cultural organisation, to the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) for the approval of R3 million funding in 2018, of which R1,5 million was granted.
During the sentencing in the Palmridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday, 7 July, Magistrate Brian Nemavhidi said white-collar crimes had reached alarming proportions and courts needed to send a message that crime would be dealt with severely.
Tshivule took the idea and documents, such as the NPO’s constitution and certificates, after he lied during its board meeting that he knew a manager at NLC that could help them secure the funding.
As the money was not forthcoming, NPO chairman Billy Itumeleng Simamane made inquiries with the NLC and discovered that the application was approved, with money paid to an account that Tshivhule was the sole signatory of. The evidence showed that he claimed he was the chairman of The Message.
Charges against Dr Tumi and his wife Kgaogelo Makweya were later dropped due to lack of evidence linking them to the case.
National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Phindi Mjonondwane said the prosecution successfully proved that Tshivule was driven by greed when he defrauded money that was meant to uplift the community.
“In aggravation for sentence, senior state Advocate Phuti Matabane argued that the accused pleaded guilty not as a sign of remorse, but because he was aware that there was overwhelming evidence against him,” she said.
