TSHILWAVHUSIKU – Daniel Mathelemusa (39) of Zamekomste village was sentenced to six years in jail for fraud in the Thohoyandou regional court last Thursday. The incident relating to the case took place between April 2001 and April 2002.

Mathelemusa was working for the Makhado Municipality and was stationed at the Muduluni Community Hall when the incident took place. The incident came under the spotlight when a team of financial inspectors visited Mathelemusa's work station on April 18 last year. They discovered that there were numerous irregularities in as far as financial administration is concerned.

It was discovered that Mathelemusa collected funds from residents who were paying for the municipal services. Instead of banking the money that he collected on a particular day, Mathelemusa channeled some of the money into his own pocket.

That resulted in his defrauding the municipality with an amount of R214 000. Although the scam was discovered in April, Mathelemusa was arrested on September 6. He appeared in the Tshilwavhusiku Magistrate's Court numerous times and the case was later transferred to the regional court in view of its seriousness. He was not given the option to pay a fine.