Man who defrauded Eskom of R 2.6million gets suspended sentence

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Company owner Michael Chimanzi has been found guilty of defrauding power utility Eskom of money amounting to R 2.6million for services he did not render.

Hawks Spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said the 56 years old Chimanzi who has been in police custody since his arrest in 2018 colluded with two Eskom employees, Nwabisa Ngxola and Cinderella Moropane to defraud the State Owned Company (SOC)

“It is alleged that in November 2013, Eskom employees Ngxola and Moropane colluded with Chimanzi, the sole Director of Chimanzi Investments and submitted fraudulent invoices to Eskom for services which were never rendered.”

“Fraudulent transactions were channelled to Chimanzi Investments business account, which prejudiced Eskom R2.6 million” said Captain Sekgotodi.

He, together with his company were handed down 8 years prison which was suspended for 5 years on a condition that he is not charged on the same crime.

The Specialised Commercial Crime Court he appeared in on Wednesday also took in consideration the fact that he had already served four years of his term.

Furthermore the accused showed remorse and pleaded guilty from the beginning without wasting state resources.