Speech Therapist Sentenced to Pay a Fine of R150 000 or Eight Years Imprisonment for Fraud and Money Laundering
27 MARCH 2025
Speech Therapist Sentenced to Pay a Fine of R150 000 or Eight Years Imprisonment for Fraud and Money Laundering
Limpopo, South Africa - The Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has sentenced Lesiba Morgan Gololo (43), who is employed at Department of Education and a private practice as speech therapist and audiologist, to pay a fine of R150 000 or eight years imprisonment on count of fraud, five years imprisonment for count of fraud, five years imprisonment for count of fraud and three years for money laundering. The accused was facing three counts of fraud and money laundering. The court further ordered the sentence of other two fraud and money laundering to be wholly suspended on condition that the accused is not found guilty of fraud alternatively theft for a period of five years.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the state led evidence of witnesses who testified that between 2015 and 2016, the accused defrauded Bonitas Medical Aid Scheme under the pretence that he consulted with certain patients and later prepared invoices which were captured electronically for payment. Once they were processed then Bonitas would pay the monies claimed per invoice. As a result of the accused’s misrepresentation, Bonitas Medical Aid Scheme suffered a prejudice in the amount of R 27 700.48. After the ordeal, Bonitas hired an investigating company called Qhubeka Forensic Services to investigate on behalf of Bonitas. After thorough investigations the company reported the case to Hawks who further investigated the incident the accused was then arrested.
In aggravation of sentence, the state advocate, Madzibane submitted that the accused should be sentenced to the term of imprisonment without an option of a fine, taking into account the seriousness of the offences he committed and the prevalence of the offences within the jurisdiction of this court, such will send a clear message to both the accused and other like-minded person that the game is not worth the candle. She further submitted that the accused continued defrauding Bonitas for services he never rendered to the complainants, and that did not make him remorseful.
The NPA welcomes the sentence, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv. Ivy Thenga hopes that this sentence will serve as a deterrent to other potential offenders that crime does not pay. The DPP further applauded advocate Madzibane for the good work done and other stakeholders involved in securing the conviction.
Issued by:
Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Limpopo Division
Email: mmalabi@npa.gov.za
Cell no: 074 823 3603