The Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court convicted and sentenced Galela Mdlekeza (51) on 31 May 2023 for charges of theft of Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority’s (PSIRA) funds. Mdlekeza was arrested by the Mthatha based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks on 07 February 2023 for the said offence.

In January 2021, the finance manager at PSIRA Head Office discovered that an amount of R8200-00 which was supposed to be deposited from Mthatha PSIRA office was not reflecting on the bank statement of PSIRA. Upon enquiring from Mdlekeza who was a team leader in Mthatha office then, Mdlekeza could not give any reasonable explanation for the outstanding amount which was received for daily services rendered by that office.

The internal investigation ensued in June 2021. The investigations revealed that during the period between June 2021 and November 2021 cash to the value of more than R970 000 which was supposed to be banked by Mdlekeza was never banked but instead misappropriated. In November 2021, Mdlekeza was suspended from work then in December 2021, he tendered in his resignation letter.

The matter was referred to the Hawks in June 2022 for intensive probing which resulted in Mdlekeza’s apprehension on 07 February 2023. He appeared in Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on the same day and was released on R2000-00 bail.

Mdlekeza appeared in Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes court on numerous occasions until his ultimate conviction and sentencing on 31 May 2023. Mdlekeza was given 12 years direct imprisonment sentence without an option of a fine.

The team is once more commended by the Provincial Head Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya for being hell- bent in eradicating commercial crime tendencies that compromise the national economy.

Source: South African Police Service