Fraudulent lawyer nabbed for theft of trust funds

A former lawyer arrested last week by the Hawks in Mbombela for theft of trust funds has been released on R5,000 bail.

Excellent Vukani Mthembu who was practicing as a lawyer at Vukani Attorneys was released on bail after he was nabbed last Friday.

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 receivng 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 R 981 452.54 actual loss whilst claims to the total value of R 1300 000.00 potential loss was stopped by the Fidelity Fund.

Mthembu’s case was postponed to 6 April 2022 at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

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Bogus Hawks officials nabbed 

This comes after two suspects were arrested for allegedly posing as Hawks officials and demanding a bribe of R300,000 to destroy a case docket against the complainant.

The two suspects were charged with extortion and corruption in Pretoria on 10 March.

The suspects aged 38 and 41 allegedly approached the complainant and introduced themselves as Hawks investigators from the Pretoria office, and demanded an enticement of R300,000 in order to destroy the case docket against him as well as handing over his vehicle and refugee documents.

Eight years for fraudulent 

In another fraudulent case, a fraudster was sentenced to eight years in jail for using forged documents to secure a R451,000 car loan.

It was alleged that the 32-year-old Dumisane Jan Mbokodo applied for a vehicle finance loan online from First National Bank (FNB) through a Toyota dealership in Polokwane, Limpopo

The bank became suspicious; and he was nabbed at his home in Kanyamazane, Mpumalanga.

Additional information by Getrude Makhafola

ALSO READ: Bogus Hawks officials nabbed for extortion and corruption