By Karabo Marifi
On Thursday, September 5, 2024, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested Mathebula Thouret Mampe Thabe Tiro, the director of Tiro Attorneys (PTY) LTD, and Tsietsi Isaac Shema, the former acting director of Corporate Services at Ditsobotla Local Municipality, for their involvement in a fraudulent scheme that allegedly defrauded the municipality of over R460,000.
The two men were apprehended after a detailed investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit based in Mahikeng, which uncovered a fraudulent procurement of legal services. Both accused individuals appeared in the Lichtenburg Magistrates’ Court the same day to face charges of fraud, with an alternative charge of theft. They were remanded in custody, with the case adjourned to September 6, 2024, for a formal bail hearing.
The fraudulent activities date back to May 2021 when Tiro Attorneys allegedly submitted an invoice for legal services that were never provided to the municipality. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula revealed that the investigation found no evidence of the services being rendered, yet a payment of over R460,000 was made to Tiro Attorneys.
Shema, the former acting director, along with an accomplice who remains at large, is accused of approving the fraudulent payment, taking advantage of his position to authorize the funds.
Both accused now face four counts of fraud and an alternative charge of theft. The Hawks’ successful investigation into this scheme is being hailed as part of their ongoing efforts to tackle corruption within South Africa’s public sector. Major General Patrick Mbotho, the North West Provincial Head of the Hawks, and Dr Rachel Makhari, the Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, have strongly condemned the misuse of public funds and assured the public that more arrests could follow.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Hawks have reiterated their commitment to holding public officials accountable for corruption. Both Mbotho and Makhari stressed that corruption in South Africa’s municipalities will not be tolerated, and further investigations are underway to root out similar fraudulent activities.
This arrest signals a significant move by the Hawks to curb corruption and safeguard public funds, underscoring the commitment of South African authorities to bring justice to those involved in fraudulent practices.