3 year prison term for skills development fraudster
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Photo: Hawks
A 31 years Bongani Sibuyi has been sentenced to 36 months prison term by Bushbuckridge Magistrate Court for fraud and money laundering.
The court heard that Sibuyi and his partner went on a recruitment mission targeting unsuspecting young people from poor families in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga.
He told them about a skills development opportunity which will see them earning a monthly stipend of R 3500.00, which is a national minimum wage.
Police Spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said that a lengthy and scrupulous exploration which was effected by the Serious Corruption Investigation team of the Hawks in Nelspruit found that Sibuyi told the fraud victims that they had to pay R 250.00 administration fee before the project could commence.
“More than 300 youth registered for the project and they were informed to pay an administration fee of R250 each into a company account.”
“Learners were promised to receive a stipend of R3500 per month. A few months after the commencement of the project, leaners embarked on a strike due to non-payment of the stipend as promised and as such the programme could not proceed.”
“It was found that the company was not registered with Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). Moreover it was also not accredited by Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA).”
Investigations also found that the money deposited by the learners was not used for the supposed intended programme.
As a result, he was arrested together with his partner.
Sibuyi was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to thirty-six (36) months imprisonment or R60 000 00 half of which is suspended whilst his partner was cleared on all charges.
