The Bloemfontein Regional court sentenced to jail Manoel Mabesa, a 50 year old man who was pretending to be an advocate.
The man was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Magistrate Marina Voges. The crimes including fraud, uttering and contravention of Section 9 of the Justice of the Peace of Commissioner of Oath Act.
He was also sentenced to 2 years direct imprisonment for contravention of Section 9 of the Justice of the Peace of Commissioner of Oath Act.
Mabesa committed these crimes between 08 March and 27 June 2014. He made an application at the High Court of South Africa for an admission as an advocate of the High Court in 2012.
His application was supported with a copy of a certificate for LLB degree supposedly which had been issued by the University of the Free State.
He lied to the Registrar of the High Court that he obtained an LLB degree on 30 March 2007.
Mabesa took money from those who needed legal representation, telling them that he will represent them in court.
Swanepoel then realised that Mabesa was failing to do his work in a usual manner as he was not addressing the court in the proper way.
An investigation revealed that Mabesa was not legally qualified and the University revealed that he never enrolled for a degree at their institution.
Mabesa defrauded people who needed legal representation. He also defrauded the High Court and the University thus he will serve an effective term of 10 years imprisonment.
