A 43-year-old man who falsely represented himself as a legal practitioner has been sentenced to six years in prison by the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Rustenburg. Johannes Tebogo Motse operated for months without registration, deceiving multiple clients and forging legal documents to support his fraudulent activities.
Bogus Legal Practitioner, bogus appeals and forged Documents
Between February and November 2022, Motse illegally appeared in courtrooms as a legal practitioner and took on cases despite having no legal credentials. Furthermore, he went as far as forging a fidelity fund certificate, an admission certificate, and a right of appearance certificate to make his claims convincing. One victim paid Motse R15 000 to file an appeal, but never received any legal service.
Additionally, when the client realised the appeal had not progressed, they contacted the police. Investigators quickly uncovered that Motse was not registered with the Legal Practice Council of South Africa.
Sentence Reflects Severity of Crime
Motse pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud, one count of theft, two counts of forgery, and two counts of uttering. The court also grouped the fraud, forgery, and uttering charges and imposed a six-year direct prison sentence. He received a two-year suspended sentence on the theft charge, provided he repays the R15 000 to the complainant by 31 August.
He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act. Advocate Matshidiso Ramakgaphola stressed that such crimes are growing frequently and must be dealt with firmly.
NPA Applauds Successful Prosecution
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, welcomed the ruling and praised the state advocate for her work.
“These sentences underscore the NPA’s commitment to combating bogus legal practitioners and protecting the integrity of the legal profession and the public,” said Dr Makhari.
What more can be done to prevent the public from falling victim to fake professionals?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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