Eastern Cape

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Eastern Cape: Woman sentenced for stealing stepchildren’s R331 000

A 49-year-old Eastern Cape woman will spend six years in jail after stealing her stepchildren’s R331 000 RAF claim in East London.

Eastern Cape

Image by Flickr

Eastern Cape police have confirmed the sentencing of a 49-year-old woman who stole a R331 000 Road Accident (RAF) claim from her stepchildren. The money was compensation after her late husband’s died in a car accident. She was sentenced to six years in East London on Wednesday 29 September.

EASTERN CAPE WOMAN LIED IN AN AFFIDAVIT

Nyameka Mkhatshwa (49) lied in a police affidavit in July 2014, where she said that she lived with and supported her late husband’s children, when in fact she never lived or supported them.

The claim was later approved when RAF deposited R331 000 into her bank account.

“Nyameka Mkhatshwa (49) was convicted and sentenced by East London Regional Court for charges of Road Accident Funds (RAF) theft on 28 September 2021,” Eastern Cape police Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said.

“On 14 July 2014, Mkhatshwa lodged a claim with RAF on behalf of her stepchildren after the death of her husband in a motor vehicle accident. The claim was settled by RAF and an amount of more than R331 000-00 was paid into her account.”

“Mkhatshwa did not give the money to the stepchildren nor the guardian’s fund, though in her affidavit in support of the claim, she said that she was staying with the children and was supporting them whereas she never lived with nor supported them.”

HOW SHE WAS NABBED AND PUNISHED

Mkhatshwa felt her mission was neatly accomplished, but Eastern Cape Hawks soon got on her heels. She was arrested in March 2021, before she was finally slammed with a six-year jail term.

Additionally, Mkhatshwa is obliged to repay the full amount to her stepchildren, starting with R100 000 before Friday 1 October.

“A complaint was lodged with the East London-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team for investigation which led to Mkhatshwa’s subsequent arrest on 16 March 2021 where she was released on warning by the East London Magistrates’ Court.

“After several court appearances, she received a six-year suspended sentence. She was further ordered to repay the victims an amount of R100 000-00 on or before 1 October 2021 and the balance in monthly installments in a period of 60 months,” Mgolodela concluded.