A former Muvhango accountant charged with defrauding the soapie of more than R1-million has been ordered to pay back the money.
Phumlani Mdluli, 35, managed to evade jail time in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Johannesburg, where he appeared for sentencing yesterday.
He pleaded guilty to 122 counts of fraud brought by Duma Ndlovu's soapie following a forensic investigation into the funds of the production company responsible for the popular SABC2 soapie, Word of Mouth.
The lanky fraudster appeared relieved when his sentence was handed down.
Speaking through his lawyer, Mdluli said he was a father of five and that his wife was heavily pregnant with his sixth child.
Magistrate Bernitta Oswell sentenced him to eight years, suspended for five years, with conditions that he pay back the money to Word of Mouth.