A legal practitioner and a former manager at the Ditsobotla local municipality appeared in the Lichtenburg magistrate’s court on Thursday on fraud charges.
Thouret Mampe Thabe Tiro, director of Tiro Attorneys, and Tsietsi Isaac Shema, who was director of corporate services at the municipality in 2021, were arrested by the Hawks 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,” the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority said in a joint statement.
In May 2021, Tiro Attorneys allegedly submitted a request for payment to the municipality for legal services rendered.
It was revealed during investigations that Tiro Attorneys did not render any services and that Shema and another suspect, who is still at large, allegedly approved the request for payment.
“As a result, the municipality suffered a loss of more than R460,000 for services that were never rendered.”
The accused were remanded until Friday for a formal bail application.
TimesLIVE
Lawyer and former municipal manager in court on fraud charges
The municipality suffered a loss of more than R460,000
A legal practitioner and a former manager at the Ditsobotla local municipality appeared in the Lichtenburg magistrate’s court on Thursday on fraud charges.
Thouret Mampe Thabe Tiro, director of Tiro Attorneys, and Tsietsi Isaac Shema, who was director of corporate services at the municipality in 2021, were arrested by the Hawks 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,” the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority said in a joint statement.
In May 2021, Tiro Attorneys allegedly submitted a request for payment to the municipality for legal services rendered.
It was revealed during investigations that Tiro Attorneys did not render any services and that Shema and another suspect, who is still at large, allegedly approved the request for payment.
“As a result, the municipality suffered a loss of more than R460,000 for services that were never rendered.”
The accused were remanded until Friday for a formal bail application.
TimesLIVE