Pretoria attorney accused of stealing R3.2 million from his employer

A Pretoria-based candidate attorney allegedly stole R3.2 million from his employer’s trust fund account.

The 32-year-old man has been charged with fraud and theft and is expected to appear in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday, 4 April 2022.

The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Pretoria received a fraud-related report for further investigation from Malabye Mthembu Attorneys and Partners in Brooklyn.

The law firm is accusing its candidate attorney of allegedly swindling approximately R3.2 million from their trust fund account.

The money was deposited into his personal bank account between November and December 2020. The 32-year-old was charged on Friday and has since resigned from the firm.

The investigation team has served him with a summons to appear in court.

Another lawyer nabbed in March

In March this year, the Hawks nabbed another fraudulent lawyer.

Excellent Vukani Mthembu who was practising as a lawyer at Vukani Attorneys was released on R5,000 bail after he was arrested in mid-March.

The 37-year-old was appointed by his clients and submitted claims on their behalf to the Road Accident Fund, Master of High Court and Estate Office.

“Upon receiving money, he allegedly pocketed the funds he received; and also money for litigation after a client approached him to appoint a private investigator to conduct a private investigation on her behalf.

She is said to have paid the money into the lawyer’s trust account,” said police spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.

Sekgotodi said the accused stole the total amount of R981,452.54 actual loss whilst claims to the total value of R1,300,000.00 potential loss was stopped by the Fidelity Fund.

NOW READ: Fraudulent lawyer nabbed for theft of trust funds