Pastor who fraudulently received R1.9m from AgriSeta paid it back

Bloemfontein pastor Lerato Raphael Mokoteli, who fraudulently applied for and received R1.9m from the Agriculture Sector Education and Training Authority (AgriSeta), has paid back the money.  

The money was fraudulently claimed from AgriSeta and constituted proceeds of unlawful activities committed between 2016 and 2019.  

Mokoteli made the payment of R1.9m on June 15 to AgriSeta as part of a guilty plea agreement with the state.  

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the payment. 

In March 2015, Mokoteli and Anthony Dywili fraudulently applied to AgriSeta for R1.9m in funding to provide training and mentoring in food garden operations in Kimberley, Northern Cape. 

Mokoteli and Dywili claimed the application was a joint venture between Business Against Crime and Dipalemo Training Strategic Services, an AgriSeta-accredited service provider. “However, such a joint venture did not exist. Dipalemo was not aware of the application and did not receive a cent,” said SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.  

He said in 2018 the SIU was authorised to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of AgriSeta, and recover any financial losses suffered by the state.

The SIU investigation revealed that upon receiving the funding, Mokoteli and Dywili concluded a memorandum of understanding between Business Against Crime and Northern Cape Empowerment Academy led by Dipalemo, knowing very well the academy existed only on paper. 

Between June and November 2016 Mokoteli submitted invoices totalling R1.3m to Business Against Crime on behalf of Dipalemo.  

Mokoteli did not have any relationship with Dipalemo. He submitted to AgriSeta a close-up report on behalf of Dipalemo knowing Dipalemo did not render any training.  

The SIU said 50 learners were trained and received certificates of competence in food operation.  

“They were paid a stipend of R219,000,” Kganyago said.  

He said nearly R400,000 was claimed to have been used for the administration of training. 

Dywili did not disclose to AgriSeta that R600,000 of the funding was unspent, in violation of the terms of the agreement.

In July 2016, R317,000 of the funding was paid to the non-profit organisation Christians for Peace in Africa, which is chaired by Dywili. The bank account of the organisation was opened in June 2016. 

The SIU referred evidence pointing to the commission of a criminal offence to the NPA in 2019 for further action.  

The duo, together with Jeremia Sello Madiba, AgriSeta's CEO between 2008 and 2017, were charged with counts of fraud and money laundering.  

Madiba allegedly awarded the tender without the required decision by the board of directors of AgriSeta and in contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). 

“He will be appearing in court on a PFMA charge on August 28.

“In May Mokoteli entered into a guilty plea agreement with the state. In terms of the agreement, Mokoteli pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and two counts of money laundering and agreed to pay back R1.9m to AgriSeta.”

Mokoteli was given a sentence of 10 years on June 14 for two counts of fraud and five years for two counts of money laundering.  

“The sentence was suspended for a period of five years on condition he is not convicted of similar offences during the period,” said Kganyago.  

Eastern Cape NPA spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said all the charges against Dywili were withdrawn as part of the plea.  

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