355 years for official who 'masterminded' theft of millions from court

Two more people will serve time for stealing money from the government as the crackdown on thieving justice officials continues.

Having pleaded guilty on numerous counts of fraud, racketeering, money laundering and theft, Lovelock Modiba, 42, and Floyd Vumani, 38, were sentenced to 355 years and 31 years imprisonment respectively in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

The sentences will run concurrently, which means Modiba, a former accountant whom magistrate Fehmida Hoosen described as one of the masterminds in the crime, will serve 10 years in prison and Vumani five years.

The wives and relatives of the two men became very emotional and started crying as Hoosen handed down the sentences.

Over less than six months, Modiba, Vumani and a group of others stole about R3.5-million from the Mamelodi Magistrate's Court. They siphoned off money - mostly made up of witness funds - into the accounts of fraudulent suppliers, of which Vumani was one.

Their crime “translates to a negative impact filtering down to every person using the court system”, Hoosen said. Simple tasks like using the phone had to be curtailed due to lack of funds at courts, she said.

The other three people accused of having a part in the scam with Modiba and Vumani will appear in court again next week.

Modiba previously told the court that he spent the money on his family, drugs, clothes and to erect a wall around his house. Vumani said he spent the money on his family and a wall around his house.

The two men agreed to pay back the money they received.

Modiba said he will give up his pension of R789 000 to the state and then pay monthly instalments of R3 500 each until he has paid the about R900 000 that was his share in the scam. Vumani received about R130 000 and told the court he would pay R10 000 followed by monthly instalments of R3 000.

Outside court defence lawyer MacDonald Khumalo said they will not appeal the sentences.

National Preosecuting Authority spokeswoman Phindi Louw said: “The sentences re-emphasise the government's commitment in fighting corruption.”

Last year Phathutshedzo Tshivhangani, a former senior administration officer at Protea Magistrate's Court in Soweto, was sentenced to five years in jail for stealing R60 000 from the court.

On Friday, Thabisile Mabaso and Jacob Mateke, who pleaded guilty to stealing R1 442 740 from the Alexandra Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg when they worked in the cash hall there, will appear for sentencing.