Former Mabopane attorney admits to stealing more than R1m from clients

The Pretoria specialised commercial crimes court on Tuesday convicted a former attorney, Collen Butiki Rihlamfu, 48, from Mabopane, on six counts of theft of more than R1m.

Rihlamfu, formerly of Rihlamfu Attorneys, was struck off the roll as an attorney on March 7 2018 because of his unethical behaviour but he continued to defraud six complainants between June and August 2018, in and around Pretoria, by pretending to be a conveyancer and a practising attorney.

The complainants would deposit money into Rihlamfu’s bank account, hoping that he would help them with their house purchases, in terms of transfers and issues of title deeds.

Rihlamfu would take the money and use it for his benefit. 

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Rihlamfu pleaded guilty to all charges brought against him.

In his guilty plea, Rihlamfu said he took money from the buyers for his personal use and that he intended to steal and defraud them.

Rihlamfu said he knew that no transfers were going to happen and no title deed would be issued by the deeds office.

The magistrate accepted his guilty plea and found him guilty on all counts.

The matter was postponed until June 8 for sentencing.

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