Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has welcomed the ruling of the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court, which found a couple guilty of selling State land in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg.
The court found Muzwamandla Poto, a pensioner and former official of the City of Johannesburg, and his wife Elizabeth guilty on 13 counts of fraud. Poto had been facing 16 counts fraud after residents paid him money to buy government stands.
Another charge of trespassing was also added, and they were both found guilty after they illegally built their house on a government owned stand.
The sentencing, said Human Settlements MEC Ntombi Mekgwe, was an indication that the State had strong cases against suspects in the saga.
“We don’t want any of them to escape going to jail for what they have done. They have defrauded the people and stolen from the State, and the only thing that they deserve is to serve time behind bars,” said Mekgwe.
The couple joins a list of other unscrupulous individuals, who were found guilty in the Lenasia land saga. Former City of Johannesburg official, Sifiso Handsome Litau, was found guilty on three counts of fraud in the same court in October. Litau, who is out on bail, will return to court on Friday.
Poto and his wife will be in court again on 12 December 2013.
Other suspects are still appearing in courts after a thorough investigation by the provincial Hawks and the department’s Anti-Fraud and Corruption Unit.
“This should send a message to the public that we seriously want to deal with corruption. People should not hesitate to come forward with information so that we can end this syndicate,” said Mekgwe. - SAnews.gov.za
