A now-former worker of a subcontracting telecommunications company specialising in fibre network deployment has paid a price for dishonesty after resorting to crime.
On Friday (18/08) the Welkom Magistrates’ Court sentenced Mzikayise Mokoena (37) to five years’ imprisonment with the option of either paying a fine of R4 000 or serving time in prison. He was convicted on a charge of theft of optic fibre cable in January this year.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Mokoena was remanded in custody after failing to pay the stipulated amount. Failure to pay the amount will see him serve a four-year prison sentence.
Singo said the five years’ imprisonment was wholly suspended for five years.
Mokoena worked for a subcontracting company contracted to MTD Civil Network Planning at the time of committing the crime. The subcontracting company installed fibre-optic cables for a client in Welkom.
“Mokoena was arrested after he was found in possession of the fibre-optic cable which was identified as belonging to the company. On 17 January 2023, the chief executive officer (CEO) of MTD Civil Network Planning received an alert from a tracking device affixed to the fibre cable which was supposed to be in Welkom, but located in Vanderbijlpark. He then reported the matter to the police and the tracking device was traced and found in Vanderbijlpark,” said Singo.
Mokoena’s sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Welkom.
