KROONSTAD – The company owner of Riverside Chuene Construction convicted of fraud and money laundering was ordered to pay partner he defrauded compensation valued at R680 000. The Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court ordered the accused Mzwandile Msiza (54) when handing down sentence on Thursday, 18 September.
The order is in addition to eight years imprisonment sentence, which was wholly suspended for five years. The suspension of the sentence is on the condition that Msiza is not found guilty of similar offences during the period. The hefty sentence was a result of the Welkom’s Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team, which uncovered that Msiza had defrauded the complainant through a joint venture in 2021.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the court found Msiza guilty as charged on compelling evidence presented. The findings revealed he entered into a joint venture with the victim for construction work after securing a tender at the Moqhaka Local Municipality in the Free State.
“Msiza was found guilty on eleven counts of fraud. The charges stem from a joint venture between his company, Riverside Chuene Construction, and the complainant’s company. The two businesses partnered on a tender with the Moqhaka Municipality for the construction of an access road and stormwater system.
“They agreed to use Msiza’s company bank account to receive payments from the municipality. However, Msiza later changed the banking details to an account belonging to another company Nathenkosi Business Enterprises, which he co-owned with his wife. As a result the complainant did not receive payment of R1,329,900.28,” Matoti explained.
“The court also ordered Msiza to pay R680 000 in compensation to the complainant in four instalments of R170 000,” she said.
Matoti said the Hawks team launched an investigation after the referral of the case docket. She said charges against Msiza’s wife were withdrawn as she was not found to have been involved in the agreement with the complainant.
