Convicted murderer Mantsoe sentenced to 15 years for fraud

Convicted murderer Sandile Mantsoe has been found guilty of fraud and sentenced to an effective 15 years imprisonment in relation to an investment scheme he ran in 2016.

The Evander regional court on Tuesday found Mantsoe and his company Trillion Dollar Legacy guilty of swindling more than 100 people who invested a total of R1m in the company.

Montsoe, 34, is serving a 32-year sentence for the murder of his girlfriend Karabo Mokoena in 2018.

“The sentence for accused 2 [Trillion Dollar Legacy is] to run concurrently with [the] existing sentence... for the murder of his [Mantsoe’s] girlfriend in Gauteng,” said Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Cpt Dineo Sekgotodi.

“The summons followed after the accused [Mantsoe and his company] were linked with fraud which was committed between April and August 2016. The accused operated an investment scheme defrauding victims the amount in excess of R1m. A total of 120 charges were brought against the accused.

“The matter was referred to the Hawks Middelburg Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for exploration. During the investigation, it was established that Mantsoe tricked the victims into investing money by providing fake information on investment.”

Sekgotodi said Mantsoe was sentenced as follows:

• Counts one to 59 (Counts taken together for the purpose of sentence): R600,000 fine suspended for five years on condition that the accused is not found guilty of contravention of Section 7 of Act 37 of 2002 committed during the period of suspension;
• Count 60: R20,000 fine suspended for five years on condition that the accused is not found guilty of the contravention of Sec 43(2) of Act 68 of 2008 committed during the period of suspension;
• Counts 61 to 119 (Counts taken together for the purpose of sentence): R600,000 fine suspended for five years on condition that the accused is not found guilty of fraud committed during the period of suspension; and
• Count 120: R400,000 fine suspended for five years on condition that the accused is not found guilty of fraud committed during the period of suspension.