Johannesburg – Three convicted fraudsters – 64-year-old Magdil Groenewald, 42-year-old Tanya Senekal, and 47-year-old Jaco Senekal – have been sent to prison by the Johannesburg Regional Court for stealing money from the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
Groenewald was sentenced to five years in prison, while Tanya Senekal and Jaco Senekal, were each sentenced to eight years imprisonment for numerous counts of fraud.
Two years of the sentences were suspended for five years on condition that they do not re-offend.
The court heard that the three accused were touts for RAF claims.
Groenewald prepared 134 claims that stemmed from 10 alleged vehicle accidents.
Tanya Senekal and Jaco Senekal prepared 403 claims that stemmed from 30 alleged vehicle accidents.
This resulted in a total of 537 individual claims being lodged with the RAF, during 2006.
The accused did not submit the claims themselves, but persons were recruited to become claimants.
The accused even arranged for the persons to be examined by medical practitioners.
As part of the elaborate fraud, the accused sold the “claims” to firms of attorneys, who then lodged them with the RAF.
The attorneys paid the accused R1 000 per claim and it later increased to R1 500 per claim.
“The accused were arrested after an investigation revealed their involvement in the RAF fraud scheme,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.
“The NPA applauds Senior Advocate Sandra Maat and Investigation Officers Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy, and Warrant Officer Ntshalintshali for ensuring that this RAF fraud scam was investigated and successfully prosecuted.
“The sentence serves to deter law firms and society at large, from defrauding institutions like the RAF, which was established to compensate road users for any loss or damage suffered or arising from the driving of a motor vehicle at any place within the Republic of South Africa.”
The Director of Public Prosecutions in Johannesburg, Advocate Andrew Chauke remarked that deserving claimants were left destitute, as RAF continued to face financial constraints because of self-serving law firms and greedy individuals.
“The NPA continues to be the vanguard against public purse theft,” said Mjonondwane.
