NSFAS thief sentenced to five years in jail

The Walter Sisulu University student who was convicted of the theft of National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds has been sentenced to five years in jail.

Magistrates Twanette Olivier handed down sentencing on Wednesday.

Sibongile Mani was found guilty of theft on 7 February after she used R818 000 of the R14 million that was accidentally deposited into her student account on 1 June 2017.

Prior to the R14 million, which was deposited into her account erroneously, she never spent her R1 400 monthly stipend on prohibited items.

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However, she spent the R800 000 on a number of prohibited items, which included 11 blankets, nine bath sheets, various shorts for men, a variety of alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, 24 jackets and handbags.

She also spent the money in different towns, which was proof that she had planned the theft.

“In preparation of this sentence divided R818 000 by R1 400 per month and allowances to other students. Keeping in mind that I’m told that on that morning you were hungry, you could not afford a quarter of a brown bread. Had you considered when you started spending lavish amounts on alcohol, luxuries cigarettes, airtime that if IntelliMali did not repay this money, 585 of your fellow students would not receive their money food allowance, and that That was a direct action of yourself,” said Judge Olivier

The money came from NSFAS and was paid to Walter Sisulu University.

The money was then paid over to IntelliMali by the university, which has 18 000 students, each receiving a monthly food and book stipend of R1 400, university spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo said.

The court found that the above matters and the fact that she was a student activist who knew and understood the processes of student financial aid, demonstrated that she deliberately committed the theft and knew that what she was doing was wrong.

Throughout trial proceedings, Mani declined to testify during the trial and chose to exercise her right of remaining silent.