The Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court gave Bathandwa Matikinca(37) ten years direct imprisonment sentence for charges of fraud and money laundering on 26 May 2023.
Matikinca has since been convicted for such on 1 March 2023.
During the period between March 2013 and February 2021, Matikinca as the administrative and learner support officer at the Coega Development Corporation used the details of learners that had already exited the training programs and substituted their banking details with his on the payroll system to the external payroll (wage bureaus) service provider used to process the learners stipends.
The stipends were then paid into various bank accounts which were held in the name of Mr. Bathandwa Matikinca.
After further investigation it was discovered that the suspect also paid funds into his wife`s bank account.
The matter was reported to the Gqeberha based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks for extensive investigation. Investigations confirmed the prejudice to the Coega Development Corporation of more than R6.6 million.
Matikinca was arrested on 26 May 2022 and made his first court appearance in Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 30 May 2022, four days after his arrest. Matikinca was released on bail.
Matikinca made a series of court appearances before his conviction on 1 March 2023 hence his sentencing on 26 May 2023. For fraud, Matikinca was given ten(10) years direct imprisonment, for money laundering, he was given five (5) years direct imprisonment as well but both sentences will run concurrently.
He will therefore spend ten (10) years incarcerated.
The retributive sentencing is lauded by the Provincial Head, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya and once more lauded the Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks for the laborious efforts in an endeavour to curb crime.
