112 YEARS FOR CASH FOR JOBS CON ARTIST

MBABANE – Jail will be a second home to Bekezeli Gama if she fails to compensate desperate job seekers whom she conned money amounting to E143 130, in an employment and scholarship deal.

Gama (30) of Mafutseni, was yesterday sentenced to 112 years imprisonment with the option to compensate the victims. When passing the judgement, Mbabane Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi told Gama the court would suspend each of the sentences which were made to run consecutively, if she could reimburse the complainants.

Nhlabatsi said the court had found it proper that Gama serve a sentence that was equivalent to the money she stole from the victims by false pretence.

Gama’s sentencing comes after she was rearrested at the Mbabane Swazi Plaza, after she was spotted by one of the complainants near Jet Stores a fortnight ago. The con artist was at large since the court released her on her own recognisance, after she made an undertaking to pay back the complainants when she pleaded guilty to the charges last year.

When her Defence Counsel, Justice Mzizi made the undertaking on behalf of Gama last year; he informed the court that Gama’s parents were willing to pay back the money.

However, none of the victims were compensated, something which left the Crown with the view that Gama had no source of income. Prosecutor Mbutfo Mbingo further implored the court to sentence Gama, as opposed to compelling her to pay back the money.

“An application for compensation applies if the Crown is convinced that the offender had a source of income to pay back the money. The Crown will not allow a situation where Peter has to steal from John to pay Amos. It is clear that Gama had no source of income. Worse is that the lawyer who made the undertaking on Gama’s behalf had since dumped her in the matter,” said Mbingo.

He informed the court that the complainants had accepted that there was no way Gama could compensate them. However, he told the court that he gathered from the complainants that they had no problem with Gama’s fate, as long as they would not see her outside.
















 

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: