Lawyer and ex-municipal manager appear in court for defrauding municipality out of R460K

A director of a law firm and a former senior municipal official have had to go before the justice system on allegations of fraud.

Thouret Mampe Thabe Tiro, 41, the director of Tiro Attorneys (PTY) LTD, and Tsietsi Isaac Shema, 54, then acting director of Corporate Services at the Ditsobotla Local Municipality, appeared at Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, September 5, facing fraud charges.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, said members of the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation, which is situated in Mahikeng, detained the accused earlier on Thursday in Lichtenburg.

“Their arrest follows an investigation into allegations of fraud relating to the procurement of legal practitioner’s services for the municipality,” added Mathebula.

Tiro Attorneys allegedly filed a payment request with the municipality in May 2021 for legal services delivered.

The inquiry discovered that Tiro Attorneys did not provide any services at all, and that Shema and another defendant, who is still at large, reportedly accepted the payment request.

As a result, the municipality lost more than R460,000 for services that were never performed.

“The pair has appeared in court facing four counts of fraud and an alternative theft charge. They have been remanded in custody and their matter was postponed to September 6, 2024 for formal bail application.”

Major General Patrick Mbotho, the North West provincial head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, and Dr Rachel Makhari, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, both hailed the arrest and subsequent court appearance of the duo.

They have told the public that the Hawks and NPA will not hesitate to take action against public officials who engage in fraud and corruption.

-IOL

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