A former Mpumalanga attorney, Mantladi Jo-Anne Mmela (43), has been convicted on four counts of theft by the specialised commercial crimes court in Middelburg for stealing more than R4.1 million in Road Accident Fund payouts from her clients.
Between June 2019 and March 2022, Mmela, operating as a sole practitioner under Mmela Attorneys, lodged claims with the RAF and received payouts directly into her firm’s trust account. However, she failed to disburse these funds to the rightful claimants.
The crime came to light after one victim reported non-payment, prompting an investigation that led to Mmela’s arrest in 2022. She initially absconded on bail, but was rearrested in February 2024 and has remained in custody since.
Despite pleading not guilty during her trial, the evidence presented by senior state advocate Henry Nxumalo led to her conviction. Sentencing is scheduled for August 21, 2025.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) praised the conviction as a critical step in combating theft of trust monies by legal practitioners and reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting financial crimes against vulnerable claimants.
