Godfrey Sifiso Tony Lukhele (33) was found guilty on 131 counts of fraud by the Nelspruit Regional Court on the 29 July 2019, for defrauding the South African Revenue Services (SARS) over R3 Million value added tax (VAT) returns.
Since March 2013, Lukhele submitted false VAT claims and he was arrested following a Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation. Further investigations linked him to a case of fraud where he fraudulently sold a house on behalf of the owner and took the amount of R52 863.24 for himself.
He appeared in court and was subsequently granted a R70 000 bail and never returned to court as scheduled. A warrant for his arrest was authorised and resulting in his arrest on the 9 July 2019.
On Monday the 5 August 2019, Lukhele was sentenced to five years imprisonment of which half is suspended on condition that he pays back the amount of R1 Million to SARS for unlawfully selling the house he received a five year sentence, wholly suspended for five years on condition that he pays back the money to the complainant.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
