Ex-municipal staffer, accomplices convicted for fraud, money laundering

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, in the Eastern Cape, has confirmed that two people, one of them a former municipal employee, have been convicted  for charges of fraud and money laundering by the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

Kwanele Ernest Mbangi (42), who is a former superintendent at the Parks Department of the Makana Municipality, and his accomplices, Nohlane Mlonyeni (48) and Kutala Gabavana (43) were arrested in May 2016.

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TRIO STOLE AT LEAST R31 000 FROM MUNICIPALITY

According to the Hawks’ spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, Mbangi employed a number of ‘ghost workers’ by completing and submitting fraudulent employment contracts, attendance registers and submitting attendance registers to the municipality paymaster. The monies were then paid into the bank accounts of Mlonyeni and Gabavana.

“During auditing, discrepancies were discovered and the matter was reported to the Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks for investigation which resulted in the arrest of the trio on 13 May 2016. The investigation revealed that Makana Municipality was prejudiced cash of more than R31 000 during the orchestrated transactions.”

Hawks’ spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela

The Hawks say Mbangi’s scheme operated between April 2014 and February 2015. The trio’s first court appearance was the same day as their arrest and they were subsequently released on a warning. The matter continued being heard until they were found guilty by the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court  on Thursday, 17 March 2022. They are due to be sentenced in June.

The Provincial Head, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya welcomed the convicted fraudsters’ conviction and lauded the relevant law enforcement agencies for managing to crack the case.