Mpumalanga Businessman Guilty of Defrauding Eskom of R2.6m Escapes Serving Full Term, Court Suspends Sentence

• A Mpumalanga businessman has been let off easy for stealing R2.6 million from ailing power utility Eskom
• The Nelspruit Specialised Commercial Crimes Court suspended Micheal Chimanzi's eight-year sentence
• Chinmazi had been in jail since he was arrested in 2018, meaning he spent four years in prison for defrauding Eskom

NELSPRUIT - A Mpumalanga businessman, Micheal Chimanzi, who pleaded guilty to defrauding R2.6 million from Eskom, won't have to serve his entire eight-year sentence.

The Nelspruit Specialised Commercial Crimes Court wholly suspended Chimanzi's sentence because the businessman had already spent four years in jail. Chimanzi has been in custody since his initial arrest in 2018.

The fact that the businessman pleaded guilty from the outset of the case worked in Chimanzi's favour because it signified to the court that he was remorseful about his crimes, IOL reported.

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Mpumalanga businessman colluded with former Eskom employees to steal R2.6 million

Chimanzi was arrested alongside two other former Eskom employees, Nwabisa Ngxola and Cinderella Moropane, after it emerged that the trio conspired to siphon money from the troubled power utility in November 2013.

The businessman was the sole director of Chimanzi Investments and submitted fraudulent invoices for services that the company never rendered, Lowvelder reported.

South Africans are not impressed with Micheal Chimanzi's suspended 8-year sentence

South Africans slammed the court for letting Chimanzi off easy for committing fraud at Eskom.

Below are some reactions:

@brproadproducts complained:

"A smack on the wrist for R2.6 million."

@mrstark02020633 asked:

"So what message does this send to all the corrupt cadres?"

@Butch89803114 slammed:

"This should be appealed by NPA - this is appalling."

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@Mxm79736529 thought:

"I thought it was 15 years minimum for fraud."

@4X4Academy exclaimed:

"Our courts are failing us!"

@MADBIKER17 added:

"And here lies the problem."

Eskom corruption: André de Ruyter says person nabbed for buying R320 knee guards for R80k each wasn’t charged

In a similar story, Briefly News reported that South Africa is still coming to terms with the allegations André de Ruyter made about corruption at Eskom before he was ushered out the door.

Speaking on My Guest Tonight With Annika Larsen, De Ruyter revealed one case: a buyer was arrested for purchasing knee guards on the power utilities' behalf for R80 000 each. The knee guards allegedly cost R320 each at retail stores.

The former Eskom CEO expressed disappointment in the SAPS because police released the buyer without being charged only a day after being arrested.

Source: Briefly News