Cape Town - The serious commercial crime court in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape has convicted a licensing department supervisor from the Umzimvubu Municipality on charges of fraud alternatively theft.
Nolundi Mbele, 46, was convicted of pocketing cash to the value of more than R120 000.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, Mbele was working at the municipality as a licensing department between July 2019 and March 31, 2020.
Investigation into irregularities found that Mbele failed to deposit money that was paid for the licensing of vehicles at the licensing department into the account of the Department of Transport and instead took it to enrich herself.
“The matter was reported to the Mthatha based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks in April 2020 to commence with investigations.
“The investigations led to the arrest of Mbele on June 7, 2021 and she made a short court appearance at Mount Frere Magistrate’s Court where she was released on R5 000 bail.
“The matter was later transferred to Mthatha Serious Commercial Crime Court for trial,” Mgolodela said.
After several appearances, the court subsequently found Mbele guilty of the charges brought against her.
She is expected back in the same court on April 8, 2022 for sentencing.
In a separate incident, Mgolodela said officers attached to the East London based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team managed to arrest two suspects linked to a cash-in-transit heist in Centane.
The suspects face charges of armed robbery and attempted murder.
The crime was committed on Friday, March 25.
“It is alleged that at about 12.26pm, the G4S truck arrived at a Supermarket in Centane to collect cash. The G4S guard was pointed by two suspects with a firearm while coming from collecting cash and was robbed of that cash as well as his service firearm.
“It is further reported that during that time, the police van was parked not far from the crime scene and the security guard went to the van to report the matter. On approaching the scene, the police were greeted with a hail of bullets and they returned fire,” Mgolodela said.
She said during the shootout, the suspects sustained gunshot wounds and a passer-by was struck by a stray bullet.
All those injured were taken to hospital for medical attention.
“The firearm of the security guard and the undisclosed amount of money were recovered. “Two firearms belonging to the suspects were also recovered.
“Suspects are under police guard in hospital and will appear in court as soon as they are released from the hospital. The investigation is continuing,” Mgolodela added.
IOL