‘Mthimkhulu has now been held accountable’: Police minister praises 15-year sentence of ex-Prasa manager

Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu has hailed the 15-year sentence of former Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) executive manager Daniel Mthimkhulu as a significant milestone in the battle against corruption and fraud.

The Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Tuesday sentenced Mthimkhulu to 15 years for fraud and misrepresentation of his qualifications.

He claimed to have acquired a master’s degree from the University of Witwatersrand and a doctorate in engineering management from the Technische Universitat Munchen in Germany.

Mthimkhulu used false qualifications to hike salary

By inflating his qualifications, Prasa suffered financial prejudice. Mthimkhulu’s salary was hiked from R1.6 million as an executive manager to heading the engineering services for a salary of R2.8 million.

Commenting on the case, the minister said the sentence is a reminder of the consequences that happen when public servants betray the trust of public institutions.

He was speaking at a joint briefing with the national head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya on Thursday afternoon.

Watch the media briefing here:

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“Mr. Mthimkhulu has now been held accountable,” Mchunu said.

Mthimkhulu’s case is one of the state capture cases that have been finalised.

The minister said this case is one example of the efforts made by the Hawks and other law enforcement agencies to combat corruption.

‘We will find and prosecute you’

“This outcome sends a clear and unequivocal message to those who would seek to exploit our public institutions for personal gain: we will find you; we will prosecute you, and we will ensure that justice is served,” he warned.

Meanwhile, Lebeya said Mthimkhulu’s case should serve as a deterrent to would-be fraudsters who use fake qualifications to attain higher positions.

“Though the wheel of the law seems to turn slowly, the ultimate closure/goal shall be attained no matter how long it takes,” he said.

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“They should know that they are committing a serious offence that is not only detrimental to the economy of the country but also negatively affects the integrity of the government.”

He added that state capture cases on the Hawks’ table will continue to be dealt with.

According to the Hawks, 30 state-capture-linked individuals (22 natural persons and eight entities) have appeared in court with three successful convictions.

Lebeya said the DPCI has already recorded 2 241 statements.

State capture accused persons

The accused include the following:

“It is important to note that despite these accomplishments, the fight against national priority offences continues to be an ongoing challenge that requires sustained commitment and collaboration.”

“The DPCI reiterates its commitment to work diligently to address the evolving threat and bring those who engage in criminal activity to justice.”

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