26 Jan 2014

A multiple fraud suspect, Portia Rakorong, will undergo trial beginning April before Molepolole Senior magistrate Bhekimpilo Sibanda.

Ms Rakorong, former Barclays Bank employee is accused of defrauding her employer 58 times and in the process obtained over P400 000 between 2009 and 2010.

Attorney Tebogo Masala of the Department of Public Prosecution told court that only three prosecution witnesses out of the initial 22 will be called to testify against the accused following admission of 19 other witnesses by the defence.

The prosecutor pleaded for the postponement of the matter requesting for a suitable date as one of the witnesses could not be excused from work.

He, however, requested for the postponement of the matter to fix suitable dates where all the three witnesses would be able to testify before the two parties could make submissions.

Mr Aobakwe Monamo of Duma Boko Attorneys represented the accused in the matter. In a separate case, Magistrate Faith Dlamini N’gandu ordered a two-hour detention of Mr Topo Tshekiso for allegedly lying to court that he could not maintain his two kids because he was unemployed.

The magistrate became suspicious after the plaintiff, Ms Motowane countered the defendant’s claim that he was unemployed. The plaintiff statement was corroborated by that of Mr Tebogo Matshome, the court official who confirmed that when called to come to court, Mr Tshekiso had said he could not honor the initial proposed dates as he was held up at work.

The defendant however could not dispute that he indeed told both the plaintiff and the court officer that he was engaged at work arguing that the employment was just a 10 day menial piece job.

Ms. Dlamini N’gandu later stood down the case considering the fact that he had not yet secured permanent employment and advised the plaintiff to register the matter again when the defendant work status changes. ENDS