A former head of engineering at the Passenger Rail Association of South Africa (Prasa), Daniel Mthimkhulu, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for falsifying his qualifications and other documents to secure a higher salary and position.
In early 2022, Mthimkhulu was found guilty on three counts of fraud after misrepresenting his educational background and submitting a fake job offer. The Specialized Commercial Crime Court in Johannesburg handed down the sentence on Tuesday, underscoring the severity of his actions.
Mthimkhulu falsely claimed to hold a master’s degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and a doctorate in engineering management from the Technische Universität München in Germany. He also fabricated a job offer from a German company, which he used to inflate his Prasa salary from R1.6 million to R2.8 million.
For the first count of fraud, Mthimkhulu received a 15-year prison sentence. Additionally, he was sentenced to six years for each of the two other fraud counts, although these will run concurrently with the 15-year term.
The prosecution emphasized that Mthimkhulu’s actions placed significant Prasa projects, including the ill-fated procurement of locomotives from Spain, at risk due to his lack of qualifications. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) played a critical role in securing his conviction.
The High Court in Johannesburg had previously ordered the attachment of Mthimkhulu’s properties and directed him to pay R5.8 million to Prasa as restitution.
This sentencing sends a clear message that fraudulent behavior, particularly within public institutions, will be met with serious consequences. The 15-year sentence reflects the gravity of Mthimkhulu’s offenses and the substantial damage he inflicted on Prasa and the South African public.
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