BLOEMFONTEIN – A 31-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment for defrauding members of a Christmas stokvel in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo.

Lebohang Mokatedi and his company, Lebohang Society and Financial Credit Service (Pty) Ltd, were sentenced by the Bloemfontein Regional Court on Thursday, 15 October, following his conviction on multiple counts of fraud, theft and money laundering on 8 October.

The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Free State, Lieutenant General Solly Lesia, and the Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, welcomed the sentence.

They commended the investigating team, comprising the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Bloemfontein and detectives from Bloemspruit and Botshabelo, for their work in bringing the case to court.

Christmas stokvel members left empty-handed

During 2024, Mokatedi introduced a Christmas stokvel, encouraging members to participate by promising to supply groceries, alcoholic beverages, household items and ingredients for relish at the end of the year.

Members were required to contribute between R100 and R500 per month.

Several people from Bloemfontein and Botshabelo joined the scheme and continued making their monthly payments in anticipation of receiving the promised goods.

However, when the time came for delivery, Mokatedi allegedly disappeared without fulfilling the arrangements, leaving members without the goods for which they had paid.

Victims subsequently opened cases of fraud and theft at various police stations in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo.

Arrest followed intensive investigation

The cases were initially investigated by detectives in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo before being transferred to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Bloemfontein.

An intensive investigation led to Mokatedi’s arrest in East London in the Eastern Cape.

Following his conviction, the Bloemfontein Regional Court sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment, of which five years were wholly suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of the same offence during the suspension period.

He will therefore serve 10 years’ direct imprisonment.

Company receives suspended R1 million fine

Mokatedi’s company, Lebohang Society and Financial Credit Service (Pty) Ltd, was also sentenced to a fine of R1 million.

The fine was wholly suspended for five years, on condition that the company is not convicted of a cybercrime-related fraud offence during the suspension period.

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