EAST LONDON – Two men, including a former police sergeant, have been sentenced to 15 years in prison each for attempting to steal R5.4 million from South Africa’s Road Accident Fund through an elaborate fraud scheme.
Xolani Somtsewu (47) and ex-police sergeant Mandlenkosi Njekanye (52), were found guilty by the East London Commercial Crimes Court of orchestrating a complex plan to defraud the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
The fraud began after a tragic car accident on New Year’s Eve 2020. Somtsewu was driving a Nissan NP300 on the N2 Highway near Komga when his vehicle overturned, killing passenger Siyabulela Matshaya.
Instead of telling the truth about what happened, Somtsewu filed a false insurance claim. He claimed he lost control while trying to avoid another car.
The real story was different. The original police report clearly stated that a burst tyre caused the accident. But Njekanye, who was supposed to investigate the case honestly, had other plans.
As the investigating officer at Komga Police Station, th court heard that Njekanye broke his oath to serve and protect. Instead, he forced another officer to change the original accident report, brought Somtsewu to the police station to help plan the cover-up and managed to get a third officer to falsely claim he had inspected the fake report
“This was a deliberate and coordinated effort to defraud a public institution,” the court found.
Both men pleaded not guilty, but the evidence was overwhelming. RAF investigators spotted the lies before any money was paid out, and the claim was rejected.
The court sentenced both men to 15 years imprisonment for fraud and six years for obstructing justice. The sentences will run concurrently. They are also banned from owning firearms.
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo welcomed the tough sentences.
“This sentence sends a strong message that corruption, particularly when committed by those entrusted with upholding the law, will not be tolerated,” he said.
“The RAF is meant to protect the most vulnerable road users. When individuals collude to exploit that system for personal gain, they rob all South Africans.”
