Jurry Sehunoe (33), a physiotherapist operating from Rustenburg in North West, accused of defrauding the Department of Labour’s Compensation Fund of more than R5-million, was found guilty in the Pretoria Specialised Crime Court today, 19 October.
Sehunoe, one of the three accused who defrauded the Department of Labour’s Compensation Fund, broke ranks with fellow alleged co-accused, and in a dramatic set of events through his legal representative tendered a plea of guilty to all charges. The sentencing of Sehunoe is due on 17 January 2012.
As a first time offender, Sehunoe faces a minimum of 15 years behind the bars. The fraudster has been found guilty of, 15 counts of fraud and 26 counts of money laundering.
His two co-defendants are, Samuel Mfeleng and Maxwell Ramaphosa, who previously worked for the Compensation Fund. Mfeleng and Ramaphosa are yet to plead.
In a separation of trial, their case has since been transferred to the Pretoria Magistrate Court. Their case management is due for hearing on 1 November. The three men first made their appearance in Court in March 2010.
Reading a statement of admission of guilt, Sehunoe’s legal representative, Advocate Keitumetsi Mogale, told the court that his client was under no undue pressure or coercion to admit to the guilt charge.
Mogale said Sehunoe had admitted to having received huge amounts of money that channelled into his personal bank account, and that of his businesses, which included a driving school and a maintenance/construction company.
She further told the court that the monies were allegedly being transferred to his account by fellow alleged accused, Mfeleng and Ramaphosa, whom he had earlier informed that he was no longer comfortable with their continued transfer of substantial sums of money into his accounts, which he felt “is not done in good faith and is not entitled to.”
Sehunoe told his legal representative that he was prepared to compensate the Department of Labour for the money deposited ‘unfaithfully into his accounts’.
Delivering her verdict Magistrate N. Setshogoe said the Court was duly convinced that, Sehunoe was guilty. She extended his bail of R3 000 until the next appearance.
The fraudsters’ misdeed’s include working in collaboration with alleged fellow co-accused to swindle the Department of Labour millions of rands, by changing personal details of claimants and using trickery processes to channel payments to their own and assumed accounts.
The Compensation Fund is a public entity of the Department of Labour. Its core function is to cover for compensation of workers injured during work or diseases sustained or contracted.
Enquiries:
Mr Page Boikanyo
Cell: 082 809 3195
Labour welcomes the conviction of Compensation Fund fraudsters
