This is according to the spokesperson of the Hawks in the Free State, Lynda Steyn, who said that this comes after the accused, Jeremiah Sebabatso Radebe, in 2016 approached a man who was admitted at the Manapo Hospital in Phuthaditjhaba, who was at the time receiving medical treatment for his injuries. The accused offered to assist the complainant in obtaining compensation from the Road Accident Fund. RAF later that year paid out money into a trust account set up by Radebe but the intended beneficiary received only a fraction of what was due to him.

“Radebe claimed an amount of R800 000 from the Road Accident Fund, which was approved and paid to his trust account on 20 October 2016. On 21 November 2016, an amount of R180 000 was paid to the complainant. A further amount of R120 000 was paid to the victim in December 2016 and a final payment of R50 000 later that month. The attorney of the complainant then never made any further pay-outs to the complainant. The complainant, who suffered a loss of R450 000.00, brought the matter to the attention of law enforcement agencies and the case was investigated by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Bethlehem. The suspect was then arrested on 27 February 2018.”

Steyn said the attorney was found guilty of theft by the Specialised Commercial Court in Bethlehem and fined with R1 000 or sentenced to 3 months imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years. According to Express, he also faces similar charges in an unrelated incident dating back to 2015, where he is also accused of stealing R250 000 from the RAF which was intended for another beneficiary. Radebe was admitted as an attorney in 2004 and started practising as such for his own account at S.J. Radebe Attorneys in Phuthaditjhaba in 2007.

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