Lawyer slapped with 10-year jail sentence for stealing from clients

An Eastern Cape lawyer has swapped his swanky suits for prison garb after swindling clients out of R1.8m.

The Mthatha regional court handed Sandile Majavu, 51, a 10-year direct imprisonment sentence on Tuesday.

Hawks spokesperson Capt Yolisa Mgolodela said Majavu, who was arrested in 2018, had targeted people buying houses.

“In 2011, Majavu was practising as an admitted attorney in Mthatha under the names Christo Barnard and Majavu Attorneys,” she said.

Three house-buyers, who paid more than R1.8m into his trust account, lost their money when Majavu stole it instead of passing it on to the sellers.

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