BLOEMFONTEIN – Three men were sentenced in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court for fraud in which VKB Agriculture lost more than R4 million.

On 20 March the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court sentenced three accused persons, Khotso Mabolloane (51), Sibongile Nyembe (31), and Jabulane Joseph Mazibuko (40) for fraud and related offences following a fraudulent transaction.

It is reported that on 16 February 2018, at or near VKB Agriculture in Reitz, six accused, Khotso Mabolloane, Tumane Isaac Mokoena, Sibongile Nyembe, Nolufefe Desiree Prence, Jabulane Joseph Mazibuko and Sandile  Sipamla falsely misrepresented that a payment supported a cheque dated 16 February 2018 was issued by Budget Truck Spares for services rendered.

As a result of the misrepresentation, VKB Agriculture (Pty) Ltd suffered a loss of R4 078 540.35 after making a payment into an ABSA bank account, which was later established to belong to Mabolloane and not Budget Truck Spares. The payment document was found to be forged and the transaction invalid.

All six accused were arrested and appeared before the Bethlehem and Bloemfontein Magistrates Courts. On 16 April 2025, Mabolloane, Nyembe and Mazibuko were found guilty, while charges against accused Mokoena, Prence and Sipamla were withdrawn.
 
On Friday Mabolloane was sentenced to an effective 15 years direct imprisonment for fraud and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, with multiple counts running concurrently.
Nyembe was sentenced to an effective 12 years direct imprisonment for fraud and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
Mazibuko was sentenced to seven years direct imprisonment for contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
 
Furthermore, all three convicted accused were declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103(1) of the Firearms Control Act, Act 60 of 2000.
 

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