Attorney, former municipal manager arrested for fraud exceeding R460,000

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An attorney and former municipal manager appeared in the Lichtenburg magistrates’ court on Thursday, facing charges of fraud.

Thouret Mampe Thabe Tiro, 41, the director of Tiro Attorneys and Tsietsi Isaac Shema, 54, the then acting director of corporate services at the Ditsobotla local municipality were arrested by members of the Hawks.

This follows an investigation into allegations of fraud relating to the procurement of legal practitioner’s services for the municipality.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, Hawks spokesperson in North West, in May 2021, Tiro Attorneys allegedly submitted a request for payment to the municipality for legal services he had rendered.

“It was revealed during the investigation that Tiro Attorneys did not render any services and that Shema and another suspect, who is still at large, allegedly approved the request for payment.

“As a result, the municipality suffered a loss of over R460 000,00 for services that were never rendered.

“The pair has appeared in court facing four counts of fraud and an alternative theft charge. They have been remanded in custody and their matter was postponed to Friday, September 6 for formal bail application,” he stated.

Meanwhile, three suspects were arrested on Tuesday for damaging of infrastructure by Benoni Flying Squad members who also recovered one vehicle and a large quantity of copper.

At around 15:40 members attending a complaint arrested a 71-year-old suspect for allegedly stealing groceries valued at around eight hundred Rand at a shopping store in Central Avenue, Kempton Park, Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed.

He said members gave back up to a security company in North Rand Road, Beyers Park, Boksburg at around 17:00 where the community noticed suspicious behaviour of persons in and out a manhole. 

“Upon arrival of the security company, three suspects scattered from the scene. The collaboration of the community, Legendary Guardians and BFS members, led to two suspects aged 28 and 52 years being arrested with one allegedly fleeing in a white Toyota Tazz.

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“Further investigations led to the recovery of bags containing copper wires which the suspects had allegedly been cutting and removing from inside the manhole. The value of the copper is estimated at around sixty thousand Rand,” he explained.

Masondo added that an abandoned white Ford Ranger was recovered in Daveyton reported in a house robbery on a KwaMhlanga case.

 The suspects will be appearing in the Kempton Park and Boksburg magistrate’s courts facing charges of shoplifting, damage to infrastructure and theft.